I’m steaming mad about Stephen Harper proroguing Parliament again this year. Mad enough that I joined that Facebook group, wrote letters to my MP and to Harper (pm@pm.gc.ca), and joined the Ottawa organizing chapter.
Parliament does not exist to serve the interests of Mr. Harper, but of all Canadians. We should not be allowing him to flagrantly and arrogantly dismiss democracy when it doesn’t serve his interests. He’s counting on Canadians’ apathy and indifference to let him get away with it.
The whole thing is so wrong on so many levels, I don’t even know where to begin. Fortunately, many others have already written thoughtful and intelligent pieces about it. Some have also written about the lame, enabling response of the official opposition. Here’s a sampling:
- Going Rogue (by Dr. Dawg)
- Democracy diminished, accountability avoided (Globe & Mail editorial)
- Shafting Democracy in Canada (by Heather Mallick)
- Proroguing is for children (and Stephen Harper) (by Rick Mercer)
- Stop, or I’ll Tour! (by Andrew Coyne)
- Opposition: Time to recalibrate (Dr. Dawg)
If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll all take the time to familiarize yourself with what’s going on here, and take a stand, write a letter and attend a demonstration. I believe there will be protests all across Canada on January 25th. [UPDATE: JANUARY 23RD?]
Sounds like an awesome way to spend my birthday, I’m looking to see what big rally will be happening in Halifax.
I’m already on this bandwagon. Also, let’s not forget tossing a few sternly worded letters to our GG in whom I am very, very disappointed. And as an aside, FB groups and protests are all good, but what gets the most attention and action are letters. Letters to everyone. Lots of letters. And it’s very important that you make sure to ask at least one big question that demands an answer in your letter because then they have to process your letter for a response; which means lots of people up and down the chain of command see it. If you just send a letter of complaint, some mid-level clerk will just file it. Responding to letters requires a lot of time and manpower. THAT will get their attention.
The PM is pro-rogue, huh? We coyotes are totally anti…
I am muddling over the idea of having a Perogie Dinner event in ‘Honor’ of Harper’s Prorogue habit
Maybe people rallying could leave bags of perogies in front of Parliament?
I may be wrong but I think the prorogue is a traditional canoe used in the bayous of Louisiana.
Why Harper keeps dragging it into parliament and why the GG allows this is beyond me.
Is it the 25th or the 23rd?
I’m not sure now it it’s Saturday the 23rd or Monday the 25th for the protests. I’m hearing conflicting things. Does anyone know for sure which date is accurate?
XUP, that’s an excellent point about asking questions and therefore requiring them to take the time to respond. I will make it a point to incorporate questions into all future political correspondence.
I, too, am hopping mad about this. How dare he? Well, seems that no one can nor will stop this man. Unbelievable!!!!!!!
It says on the Ottawa Chapter Facebook page the date is January 23rd for the protest.