Harper an Affront to Parliament of Canada

[FiveParadox]

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P., the Member for Calgary Southwest and the Prime Minister of Canada, has shown a deep disrespect for the institution of the Parliament of Canada, contends the Honourable Karen Redman, P.C., M.P., the Member for Kitchener Centre and the Whip for Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

Hon. Karen Redman[/color], P.C., M.P.,]During the last parliament, the Prime Minister's Parliamentary Secretary Jason Kenny repeatedly called on the government to respect the will of this house and to act on resolutions passed by its [members]. [...] He once famously said "we live in a parliamentary democracy, not an elected dictatorship." Now that his party is in government, why won't he put his money for his mouth was?

Click here to read the entire statement in English.
Cliquetez içi pour lire le communiqué entier en français.

:?: Sources
1. Click here for the Web site of the Liberal Party of Canada.

 

[Mogz]

RE: Harper an Affront to

Eh Parliment is over rated if you ask me.

 

[FiveParadox]

Mogz, I would suggest that such an opinion sets a dangerous precedent.

The Parliament Assembled of Canada should be one of the centres of discussion, debate, and in a majority of cases, the vessel through which executive orders are carried. However, it should be recognized that, while the opinion of the House of Commons should of course be respected, it cannot "order" the Government of Canada to make an executive order. That, I would suggest, is where we should "draw" a separation between the executive, and the legislative.

 

[sanch]

This may be too esoteric for me.

Honourable Karen Redman, P.C., M.P., the Member for Kitchener Centre and the Whip for Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

Redman is a conservative so how can she be the whip for her majesty's loyal opposition? I have never heard of the post so it is a possibility.

 

[FiveParadox]

sanch, I am afraid you have lost me — I am unsure as to where the confusion lies.

Ms. Redman is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, and she serves as the Opposition Whip. She is entitled to the style "The Honourable", and the post-nominals "P.C." for life, because she is a Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. She is entitled to the post-nominals "M.P." while she is a Member of Parliament. She is the member representing Kitchener Centre... where is the issue here?

 

[sanch]

Thanks Five the confusion is mine as I was misled by the PC.

 

[FiveParadox]

Ah, okay! No problemo. I made the same mistake before I read into it.

 

[Colpy]

Please, allow me:

The Prime Minister’s disrespectful attitude began early in the week when he decided to ignore the results of a vote calling on the government to respect Kyoto commitments. All opposition parties, recognizing the fight against climate change was not only necessary but crucial, passed the motion by a vote of 169-125. But when asked if his government would respect Parliament’s decision, Prime Minister Stephen Harper dismissed the motion entirely because it was not “an action plan.”

Mr. Harper provided further proof of his disrespect the next day by using the back door to effectively kill the gun registry without parliamentary approval.

“The lack of respect by Conservatives for Canadians and their parliament is getting worse,” added Montreal MP Marlene Jennings. “More and more voices are calling out against abolishing the firearms registry without a vote in this house, including the Federation of Municipal Police Officers in Quebec, the Quebec Association for Public health, and the Coalition for Firearms Control. Why won’t the government listen to them?”

On Wednesday, the Conservatives continued on their ‘Disregard for the Democratic Process’ tour when Minister of Indian Affairs Jim Prentice and all Conservative committee members, including the chair, were no-shows at a meeting of Aboriginal Affairs committee, forcing it to be adjourned.

“I hope this is not reflective of the level of respect this government has for Aboriginal Canadians and their issues,“ said dismayed Liberal Indian Affairs Critic Anita Neville.

Next stop on the tour was the last minute debate on extending Canada’s mission to Afghanistan. After giving the opposition only two days to prepare, the Prime Minister told Canadians that he would refuse to accept a negative verdict from the House of Commons on what is one of the most important issues for Canadians.

But perhaps the most blatant example of Mr. Harper’s contempt for Canada’s current Parliament was his temper tantrum over the rejection of longtime Conservative fundraiser Gwyn Morgan as chair of his new Public Appointments Commission. Instead of suggesting a new non-partisan nominee, the Prime Minister decided to kill the commission, vowing to reinstate it only if his party wins a Parliamentary majority.

Prime Minister Harper’s “my way or the highway” approach to government is no way to run a country. The Prime Minister seems to have it backwards – he is accountable to Parliament and Canadians, not the other way around.

Ah, first of all, respecting the government's Kyoto commitments is IMPOSSIBLE, uless we ban the infernal combustion engine (no spelling mistake). The Liberals did nothing except criticize the USA on this entire portfolio, so spare me please.

Secondly, the Conservatives only used the methods put in the Firearms Act by the Liberals to kill it. It was a basis of their campaign, it stinks, the Coalition for Gun Control is bought and paid for by the former government, AND the Liberal government undermined the foundations of Parliamentary responsibility by hiding costs from the House. And they have the gall to challenge Harper on this issue? AND.....legislation is forthcoming.

I know nothing, and could care less about the Aboriginal Affairs Committee, so I will abandon the field to you on that issue, for the time being at least.

The motion on Afghanistan passed, so whatHarper said (and it was silly) is irrelevant.

Obviously, the NDP (as I've said before) is too damn stupid and politically correct to see past their own noses. The Liberals are simply waiting for what they consider to be an aberation in their little one-party state to pass, and then they can belly up to the hog trough again. They are not interested in the reform of the appointments process, to say the least. Gwyn Morgan was an exceptional choice, and to have him insulted and rejected by morons and the party of corruption playing politics was too much. Personally, I'd have appointed Morgan anyway.

Any other questions?

 

[Jersay]

Gywn Morgan a good choice?? :lol: That is a good one. :lol: :lol: :lol:

However, Parliment is overrated. The government should listen to Parliment and such but unless it is a confidence vote if the government doesn't want to listen to the Parliment vote on whatever resolution if it is not a confidence vote it doesn't really matter.

 

[Colpy]

Gywn Morgan a good choice?? :lol: That is a good one. :lol: :lol: :lol:

However, Parliment is overrated. The government should listen to Parliment and such but unless it is a confidence vote if the government doesn't want to listen to the Parliment vote on whatever resolution if it is not a confidence vote it doesn't really matter.

Please explain why Gwyn Morgan was NOT a good choice.

Which is what the Libs, NDP, and BQ failed so miserably to do.

 

[Jersay]

First off. I will admit he is a good executive for business, and I will admit oil industry.

However, he is a conservative, and has had partisan comments that praise the conservatives and have been anti-Liberal and other parties. When you are creating a non-partisan commission, a partisan head doesn't work. There were a lot and is still alot of non-partisan people who are very good.

Second, buddy of Harper, nearly a right-hand man so the same kind of appointment that Martin and Chretian did.

Finally his anti-French, Anti-Quebec, and anti-Immigration comments that he did not try to explain and did not apologize for.

Anyone with that kind of bias and comments, an NDP member, conservative, or Liberal supporter did not deserve the position of this position if this was their feelings.

 

[Colpy]

I agree that he is a Conservative, but one with a reputation for integrity, who was willing to do a thankless job (and bring in help from a number of people of all political stripes) for $1.oo a year.

I am not aware of any anti-Quebec, anti-French comments he has made. Enlighten me.

his comments of our failure to Canadianize immigrants and the violence inherent in the Jamaican and Asian communities are simply the TRUTH!

Or did you miss Toronto's "Year of the Gun"?

 

[Jersay]

You have to check the BQ because that is what the BQ members said. Members stated that he said anti-French and anti-Quebec.

 

[fuzzylogix]

God, the total irony of it. Harper promises that all public appointments will be accountable, and then he pouts when his hand picked boy isnt accepted.

Harper then cries and says he wont play the game anymore and if his boy cant be picked, then nobody's boy is gonna get picked.

So either we dont get an accountability commission and the Prime Minister can approve anyone without a debate, or we get one with a head who will have a debate and then automatically approve anyone that the Prime Minister wants.

 

[Numure]

Re: RE: Harper an Affront to Parliament of Canada

Mogz, I would suggest that such an opinion sets a dangerous precedent.

The Parliament Assembled of Canada should be one of the centres of discussion, debate, and in a majority of cases, the vessel through which executive orders are carried. However, it should be recognized that, while the opinion of the House of Commons should of course be respected, it cannot "order" the Government of Canada to make an executive order. That, I would suggest, is where we should "draw" a separation between the executive, and the legislative.

Five, parlement doesnt change much in the running of the country. Parlement has greater powers when the government is in a minority situation, and that's it. Any majority government ignores parlement completly or uses it as a scape goat for hard decisions.

 

[darkbeaver]

RE: Harper an Affront to

Harper should tarred feathered and booted out of the country before we have to hang him. Harper is dogshit and Gwyn Morgan is dogshit, all of Harpers friends and fans are dogshit, anybody who voted for him will be rounded up and deported.

 

[LittleRunningGag]

Re: RE: Harper an Affront to

Harper should tarred feathered and booted out of the country before we have to hang him. Harper is dogshit and Gwyn Morgan is dogshit, all of Harpers friends and fans are dogshit, anybody who voted for him will be rounded up and deported.

Gee, can't fight that logic can we? :roll:

 

[BitWhys]

We could always proofread it for him.

 

[darkbeaver]

Re: RE: Harper an Affront to

Harper should tarred feathered and booted out of the country before we have to hang him. Harper is dogshit and Gwyn Morgan is dogshit, all of Harpers friends and fans are dogshit, anybody who voted for him will be rounded up and deported.

Gee, can't fight that logic can we? :roll:

You could try but since what I wrote is true you'd fail, the dogshit part is streatching it a bit but only because dogshit dosn't smell as bad
as Harper. :lol:

 

[fuzzylogix]

And because, unlike Harper, dogs cant help creating dogshit.