On Things More Important than Guergis/Jaffer
A story that has largely fallen by the wayside due to the much more sensations Guergis/Jaffer affair is the speakers ruling on the documents pertaining to Afghan detainees (which may by made later today). Like the coalition crisis this is a precedent setting case, and is being watched by a number of other countries.
In the past speakers have always maintained that the will of parliament is supreme and the Prime Minister can not simply do whatever they want. The upcoming speakers ruling may change that. If Milliken decides that the government does not have to release the documents then he has given the Prime Minister the authority to do whatever he chooses.
Parliament is supposed to be the checks and balances on the Prime Ministers power. Unfortunately as a result of Michaëlle Jean’s decision to let Harper prorogue during the coalition crisis, it clear that parliament already sits only on the will of the Prime Minister. If parliament’s power is further reduced by it no longer being able to compel the Prime Minister to submit to the will of parliament then we might as well get rid of it entirely.
By eliminating the power of parliament we essentially end up with a one-man government. That worries me, regardless of who’s Prime Minister, and hopefully it worries you too.
In the past speakers have always maintained that the will of parliament is supreme and the Prime Minister can not simply do whatever they want. The upcoming speakers ruling may change that. If Milliken decides that the government does not have to release the documents then he has given the Prime Minister the authority to do whatever he chooses.
Parliament is supposed to be the checks and balances on the Prime Ministers power. Unfortunately as a result of Michaëlle Jean’s decision to let Harper prorogue during the coalition crisis, it clear that parliament already sits only on the will of the Prime Minister. If parliament’s power is further reduced by it no longer being able to compel the Prime Minister to submit to the will of parliament then we might as well get rid of it entirely.
By eliminating the power of parliament we essentially end up with a one-man government. That worries me, regardless of who’s Prime Minister, and hopefully it worries you too.
posted by A View From The Left at 11:11 AM
4 Comments:
I agree that the Speaker MUST rule in favour of the opposition parties otherwise, why have an opposition?
I also think that if he rules in favour of the opposition parties, he should use Derek Lee's motion to go in and seize the docs since the govt will not release them, regardless of the ruling.
Failing that, bring in the ICC and let them investigate/lay charges.
Being worried is not enough. What can the ordinary citizen do about it? Demonstrate in the streets? Encourage (how???) the left to forget their childish squabbles, considering what is at stake, and finally cooperate and hold their noses about any failings, real or imagined, of Ignatieff? Enquire about emigrating to Scandinavia? Never vote again and retreat into some kind of internal exile, just concentrating on one's own littel existance?
How can the Speaker come to a compromise with this? It would be very hard not to side with either Parliament or Harper's government. So nervous.
The Harper government continues to build on its track record of disregarding democratic institutions and processes. See the following. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2010/ob202.asp
For more backround information see this blog http://timeforanerachange.blogspot.com/
It is pretty scary how they a High Office that is supposedly unbiased, fair, and impartial, is targeting individuals.
Discrimination is the actual behavior towards another group. It involves excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to other groups.
All I had to do was pick up a dictionary and figure this one out.
How can they get away with doing this in plain sight?
Luckily in Bill C440 comes up in September.
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