Wednesday, September 03, 2008

I know you know all this already

but it's still rather satisfying to see it neatly laid out in a national newspaper :

Parliament's record undermines Harper's rationale for election
"Parliament has been working very well for Mr. Harper. He has had one of the longest minority tenures that we have seen. He has been able to get all of his policies through ... I don't know what he is complaining about," New Democratic Party Leader Jack Layton told reporters yesterday.
"It boils down to he is quitting his job," Layton said.

If the New Democrats had had their way they would have brought down the Harper government a year ago, but it was the cash-strapped Liberals, not wanting to force an election, who kept the Tories in power well past the average lifespan for a minority.

Harper has complained the committee system is in turmoil with partisan bickering overshadowing the business of Parliament, but what he doesn't mention is that his MPs are largely responsible for the mischief-making.
In fact, it was the Conservatives who last year produced a 200-page manual for MPs on how to disrupt and derail parliamentary committees and slow things down in the Commons and the Senate.

By pulling the plug on their government, the Tories avoid a Commons committee investigation into a controversial financing scheme they used in the last election campaign. The so-called in-and-out scheme has been declared illegal by Elections Canada.

Also, it will delay at least for now opposition demands that a committee investigate the Chuck Cadman affair following allegations the Conservatives tried to bribe the late independent MP in order to get his vote to bring down the Martin government.

"Having Harper claiming the House is dysfunctional ... is like the proverbial man who has murdered his parents pleading with the judge for mercy because he is an orphan," Green leader Elizabeth May said."

5 comments:

West End Bob said...

"Newbie" Canadian "queerie" here:

Can the next Parliament initiate investigations regarding the "in and out" scandal, Chuck Cadman affair and Maxime/Couillard debacle? Or, are these situations now totally off the table?

Also, what does dissolving this government and having a new election do to the "fixed election date" of October, 2009? Will there be an election then? If not, when, praytell??

Enquiring "Newbies" want to know . . . .

Chris said...

Weston's campaign called today. Blogged:

http://chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot/?p=1578

Alison said...

Chris's link : Silly season begins

That's...really quite amazing, Chris.
I wonder if he will return to the Legion again this time for another all candidates' debate. I particularly enjoyed his response last time to the question "What are the most important issues to this riding?"
"Expanding the military" was possibly the most, um, novel answer possible, even if the spontaneity did suffer somewhat from his having to read it off a little card.
After a while it occurred to me that he might have mixed up the order of the little cards.

Alison said...

Bob : Embarrassed to admit I can't answer your questions definitively. AFAIK, bills die with an election even if they've passed second reading but committee hearings can be grandfathered by the next lot - depending on who makes up the committees of course.
The advantage to Harper in calling an election is only in putting them off till interest in them has died down and/or he gets a majority.
No clue about what happens to "Election 2009" now.
You know who does know this stuff?
Kady O'Malley.
Will return with better answers.

West End Bob said...

Thank you, Dear . . . .

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