A guest artile by Jared Milne I’m currently reading Brent Rathgeber’s excellent book “Irresponsible Government: the Decline of Parliamentary Democracy in Canada”, which describes the methods that Canadian prime ministers have used to consolidate power in the Prime Minister’s Office, and force their Members of Parliament to follow all of
Continue readingTag: Legislative Process
Democracy Under Fire: “Nature Deficit Disorder”
At first glance this would seem to have little to do with our central theme here at Democracy Under Fire but when we look at the actions of the Harper Regime in creating legislation to cover protection of The Rouge Valley Park should it be transferred from the Province to
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: The Singing Dictator
A guest post by Pamela Mac Neil “Music is always a commentary on society” Frank Zappa Whenever I hear that Harpers base is made up of primarily seniors I am a bit perplexed. Not that I don’t think it’s true, because it is. Boomers of which I am one are
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Casualty of War?
This week has seen a multitude of individuals expressing concern that the Harper Regime will use the so called “terrorist attack” upon parliament to further increase the ability of the RCMP and CSIS to investigate Canadian citizens whilst reducing the already minimal oversight over their activities. There is little doubt
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: MPs Obstructed, Undermined and Impeded!
Recently Green Party Leader Elizabeth May spoke to her fellow MP’s and the Speaker of The House regarding the governments ever increasing practice of limiting debate upon important legislation before The House. She contends that the rights of her and her colleagues in parliament have been “obstructed, undermined and impeded”
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Harpers “Democracy”
With the Harper Regime loosing a series of rulings in the Supreme Court of Canada from their plans for the senate to prostitution laws to his nomination to the court it should be no surprise that as well as Harpers direct attack upon Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin he now has
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Election Act, Election Ont, Election Incentives
So the flawed “fair” Elections Act has now passed final reading with a few amendments that public pressure made the Cons include but without the dozens of amendments proposed by the opposition and without even considering the 75 amendments that the Greens were not permitted to table. The Speaker upheld
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: This and That – Distractions and Obfuscations
The ongoing Elections act cluster fk has successfully distracted from the latest omnibus budget from the Harper Regime, hardy a word has been seen about the 350 page “Harper Government Creating Jobs & Growth While Returning to Balanced Budgets With Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 1.”. Yep, we are
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Citizens Protest Unfair Election Act
Many of my reader will be aware that last Tuesday a number of citizens gathered in front of Conservative MP’s Offices across the country to show their opposition to the Unfair Elections Act that is being railroaded through the legislative process by the Harper Regime. One such non partisan gathering
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Undemocratic Democratic Reform
Are changes to an electoral system in a democracy valid if they are brought in by a less than democratic process, are they in fact valid if the very ‘independent’ body charged with overseeing said electoral system is excluded from the process? Are they valid if recommendations from said body
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Harpers Orwellian Regime
Arising from George Orwells novel Nineteen Eighty-Four published in 1949 the adjective Orwelliandescribes a totalitarian dystopia characterised by government control and subjugation of the people. Orwell’s invented language, Newspeak, satirises hypocrisy and evasion by the state: for example,the Ministry of Truth oversees propaganda and historical revisionism. When writing this Orwell
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: The Undemocratic Election Act
“The things in it that are good could have been so much better, but the things that are bad are unforgivable in a democracy.” Recently Green Party Leader Elizabeth May had an opportunity to speak to the Commons Committee considering Bill C23, The ‘Fair’ Elections Act. What follows are some
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Quantity not Quality
Quantity not Quality is apparently the Harper regimes measure of ‘success’ Mr. Van Loan recently extolled the virtues of the 34-day fall session, which started late because of prorogation and was adjourned early. He said 2013 was the most productive year on record, with 40 bills receiving Royal Assent. “
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Rules and Conventions, Lies and Punishment
I will not dwell in great length upon the ongoing soap opera that is the ‘Senate Scandal’, there is quite enough commentary out there without my adding to it. I will instead examine how and why such thing are even possible in a ‘democracy’ and I contend that it is,
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: TV or Democracy
With the next set of promises recently presented in the House after several days of targeted leaks of some of the content which highlighted ‘more choice of cable & satellite TV channels’ I wonder if Canadians are really as shallow as the Harper Regime seems to think. Can we really
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Prorogued Again……..
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he intends to prorogue Parliament, which means the House of Commons will not resume in September as planned. Harper, who is currently on a week-long swing through northern Canada, says a speech from the throne will likely be delivered in October, kicking off a new
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Be Careful What You Wish For!
Abolish the Senate? Be careful what you wish for, we all know that it has become highly partisan and some of those appointed feel they are entitled to their entitlements and take even more, reform is needed but do away with it entirely? I maintain that it is not the
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Is Politics a Team Sport?
Recently a Conservative MP became the first MP in more than a decade to raise a point of privilege against his own governmentin questioning why he was denied an opportunity to speak by his own party whip during question period. Whilst the item that he wished to speak about (selective
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: PBO Position Finally Advertised
Just a few days before Kevin Page’s contract expires the Conservative government is advertising for a mid-level executive to fill the spot meanwhile the Parliamentary Librarian will take over as interim budget officer. The lengthy job description suggests the government is clearly looking for a more compliant budget watchdog than
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Will our ‘watchkeepers’ be watching in the future?
As the frustration level builds with the ongoing lack of accountability and response to concerns about various watchdog departments and officers the number of articles condemning this ‘governments’ approach to these things increases. Its getting so hard to keep up that once again I will simply post a few clips
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