the world it belongs to

[jawnbc]

 Here's an update for those who don't live behind the igloo curtain: the Governor General honoured Prime Minister Harper's request to prorogue (suspend) Parliament. This staves off a confidence vote on Monday that would have brought the government down. At that point the GG might've let the proposed coalition Liberal/NDP take a crack at governing.  Now everyone goes home until the end of January. Except, of course, the Tories. Who will ramp up the adverts and lies misinformation campaign. 

Regardless, a time-out isn't often a bad thing and is really a very Canadian approach to things. Let's hope the financial markets tomorrow concur. I do find it troubling that any PM could now ostensively close Parliament when he wants to save his ass. All the more reason for Canada to update its system of governance so there are some checks and balances.  

Currently the PM/Government:

-set the agenda in Parliament
-Decide who will be a Senator (nope, not elected. appointed)
-decide who will be the head of state (nope, not elected. appointed).

In most systems either the Senate (as Upper House) or GG (as head of state) is a separate beast from the government--or at least selected by voters. Our PMs pump their pals into the Senate--even when the Senate does challenge someone like Harper, they're not doing some democratically. Whether I want the government's bills to die is a different question--I don't want patronage appointees deciding what laws are enacting and what ones are not.

We need to ditch the Senate or make it elected. We need to get a proper head of state--one chosen by the Canadian people themselves.

And I need to start packing soon; we're off to our Caribbean cruise in the morning!

Comments

[notofthisworld.livejournal.com]

"Regardless, a time-out isn't often a bad thing and is really a very Canadian approach to things."

I knew things couldn't keep proceeding this quickly. This is Canada. Usually nothing happens here until the issue has been discussed and discussed and discussed until a concensus emerges in 50 years.

I still remember the Charlottetown Accords.

"Our PMs pump their pals into the Senate"

Well, yes, but the Senators sit for life, and there's a limit to how many new Senate seats a PM is allowed to create in a single term. So the PM's ability to influence the Senate is limited, as most of the Senators that he or she has to deal with were appointed by previous governments.

The fact that the PM gets to select the GG is definitely a problem, though, as I've written about on my own journal.

[greytweed.livejournal.com]

Have a fantastic time, sweetheart!

Hello fellow British Columbian

[mahogany.livejournal.com]

Randoming in here, via garpu, since I was kvetching about this very thing in my journal, to say I share your dismay.

[wrascalism.livejournal.com]

Have a good time, guys!
:o)