I was thinking of an appropriate title for this piece as I sat here minutes after the Governor General of Canada allowed for the suspension of Parliament until January 26, 2009.
The request by Prime Minister Harper to prorogue the House comes as a move to save his government from falling on December 8, 2008.
The Governor General didn’t have to agree.
But, she did and here we are. Harper most likely delivered a spirited message to Michaelle Jean at Rideau Hall today. One would assume that it would have keyed on the message that he be allowed to present a budget. I am somewhat worried about the precedent set here.
At the end of the day, Canada is not a republic. Our Members of Parliament have the right to vote on matters pertaining to the governance of this country by the Prime Minister and his party. Proroguing the House merely to avoid a democratic vote on the confidence of a sitting government is almost unbelievable.
Harper himself said that it is the democratic duty for Paul Martin’s minority Liberals to face a confidence vote not too many years ago. Oh how the message changes when you are in the other position.
The Governor General has in some ways usurped the democratic nature of our House of Commons by bowing to Harper’s request. He has acted as a leader of a republic, namely a President and she has backed it.
According to her, it could literally become common practice for governing parties to discontinue Parliament in order to avoid a confidence motion. Well done Governor General! What powers do our elected representatives carry in this country if not to be able to vote for their constituents on matters of confidence?
Oh, and don’t forget, we are in one of the worst economic periods in our nation’s history and no one is manning the ship on Parliament Hill. Get your helmets on, this is going to be one bumpy ride.
J.
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