I thought I would post a short note about why I keep going on about this whole proroguing shitstorm. I have received some comments, both here and on Facebook (from the Resident Love Goddess no less!) that I’m getting my knickers all in a twist about something that is constitutional and that the Grits had no compunctions about when they were in power.

1. I am essentially a non-partisan political creature. But I AM a bit of a lefty and am most assuredly anti Harper and anti ReformCon. I will – because of my nature – bitch a bit louder about them than the other parties.
2. if I had had a soapbox like a blog back when the Grits were the Government, I would have yelled at them equally as ferociously for proroguing Parliament for no real reason other than to avoid the world. Although it is a legal practice, it is an abuse of power like no other. How can we expect wanna-be democracies like Afghanistan (OK – I’m stretching it) to take us seriously if our own PM shuts down the doors of democracy whenever he needs to hide from something?
3. We can and should strive to do better. Past poor actions are no excuse for repeating them.  Just because it was done before does not make it right to do it again. Lawrence Martin puts it well in his article today in the G&M:

“Another line of defence (for those who don’t think that prorogation is such a big deal) is that Mr. Harper isn’t the only proroguer. Liberal PM Jean Chrétien did it too, although none of his closings could match the desperation of Mr. Harper’s prorogation of December, 2008. So what’s the big deal? This is a common Conservative defence refrain. As in, the Liberal record on global warming was terrible too. So what’s the big deal? As in, the Liberals sent disproportionate amounts of stimulus monies to their own ridings too. So what’s the big deal?

One big deal is that we’re supposed to be making progress, moving down the field, not staying on the 30-yard line.

Another is that we have a Prime Minister who thinks he can get away with anything, but who may well find out otherwise.”

And based on the latest polling numbers, maybe Canadians are starting to call him out on this.

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

I like this – many thanks to Impolitical…

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

…but thanks to L-girl over at We Move to Canada for pointing this out.

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

My fave ill-fated Bill is  C-58 – An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide an Internet service Read 2nd time; referred to Committee.

One place where we need tighter controls is on this type of crap… and the Harperites let it die.

Sad.

1) C-6 – An Act respecting the safety of consumer products Passed 3rd reading in the House of Commons
2) C-8 – An Act respecting family homes situated on First Nation reserves and matrimonial interests or rights in or to structures and lands situated on those reserves Debated at 2nd reading
3) C-13 – An Act to amend the Canada Grain Act, chapter 22 of the Statutes of Canada, 1998 and chapter 25 of the Statutes of Canada, 2004 Debated at 2nd reading
4) C-15 – An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts Passed 3rd reading
5) C-19 – An Act to amend the Criminal Code (investigative hearing and recognizance with conditions) Debated at 2nd reading
6) C-20 – An Act respecting civil liability and compensation for damage in case of a nuclear incident Reported back from Committee with amendments
7) C-23 – An Act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the Republic of Colombia, the Agreement on the Environment between Canada and the Republic of Colombia and the Agreement on Labour Cooperation between Canada and the Republic of Colombia Debated at 2nd reading
C-26 — An Act to amend the Criminal Code (auto theft and trafficking in property obtained by crime) Passed 3rd reading
9) C-27 — An Act to promote the efficiency and adaptability of the Canadian economy by regulating certain activities that discourage reliance on electronic means of carrying out commercial activities, and to amend the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Act, the Competition Act, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and the Telecommunications Act Passed 3rd reading
10) C-30 – An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts Debated at 2nd reading
11) C-31 – An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act and the Identification of Criminals Act and to make a consequential amendment to another Act Referred to Legislative Committee
12) C-34 – An Act to amend the Criminal Code and other Acts Reported back from Committee with amendments
13) C-35 – An Act to deter terrorism, and to amend the State Immunity Act Debated at 2nd reading
14) C-36 – An Act to amend the Criminal Code Passed 3rd reading
15) C-37 – An Act to amend the National Capital Act and other Acts Read 2nd time; referred to Committee
16) C-40 – An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act 1st reading
17) C-42 — An Act to amend the Criminal Code Read 2nd time; referred to Committee
18) C-43 — An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and the Criminal Code Read 2nd time; referred to Committee
19) C-44 — An Act to amend the Canada Post Corporation Act Debated at 2nd reading
20) C-45 — An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act 1st reading
21) C-46 — An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Competition Act and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act Read 2nd time; referred to Committee
22) C-47 — An Act regulating telecommunications facilities to support investigations Read 2nd time; referred to Committee
23) C-52 – An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sentencing for fraud) Read 2nd time; referred to Committee
24) C-53 – An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (accelerated parole review) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts 1st reading
25) C-54 – An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to the National Defence Act 1st reading
26) C-55 – An Act to amend the Criminal Code 1st reading
27) C-57 – An Act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Agreement on the Environment between Canada and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Agreement on Labour Cooperation between Canada and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Debated at 2nd reading
28) C-58 – An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide an Internet service Read 2nd time; referred to Committee
29) C-59 – An Act to amend the International Transfer of Offenders Act 1st reading
30) C-60 – An Act to implement the Framework Agreement on Integrated Cross-Border Maritime Law Enforcement Operations between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America 1st reading
31) C-61 – An Act to provide for the resumption and continuation of railway operations 1st reading
32) C-63 – An Act to amend the First Nations Commercial and Industrial Development Act and another Act in consequence thereof 1st reading

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

I’m not too surprised to see that the Harperites are once again thumbing their noses at the democratic process!

What gall! What an affront to our system of government! And considering how much work is going to be wasted, what a waste of money!

The House of Commons and the Senate will come back in March, after the Vancouver Olympics, for a Speech from the Throne and a budget. The move will have the effect of stalling all bills currently in Parliament, including crime bills that the government had said were being delayed by the opposition.

Well, so much for the ReformCons using “soft on crime” ads against the Libs in the next election!

A post-Olympic return would also shut down government committees, which would stop MPs from pursuing the Afghan detainee controversy until Parliament returned.

… which, of course, is the REAL reason behind this.

I am almost physically SICK to my stomach over this! How can anyone, ANYONE consider voting for these dictators????

Stevo, during his visit with his mentor, Kim Jong Il

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario