A story that has largely fallen by the wayside due to the much more sensations Guergis/Jaffer affair is the speakers ruling on the documents pertaining to Afghan detainees (which may by made later today). Like the coalition crisis this is a precedent setting case, and is being watched by a number of other countries.In the past speakers have always maintained that the will of parliament is supreme and the Prime Minister can not simply do whatever they want. The upcoming speakers ruling may change that. If Milliken decides that the government does not have to release the documents then he has given the Prime Minister the authority to do whatever he chooses.Parliament is supposed to be the checks and balances on the Prime Ministers power. Unfortunately as a result of Michaëlle Jean’s decision to let Harper prorogue during the coalition crisis, it clear that parliament already sits only on the will of the Prime Minister. If parliament’s power is further reduced by it no longer being able to compel the Prime Minister to submit to the will of parliament then we might as well get rid of it entirely.By eliminating the power of parliament we essentially end up with a one-man government. That worries me, regardless of who’s Prime Minister, and hopefully it worries you too.
