pride and shame: the dictatorship of Canada

Over the last couple of days the Opposition in the House of Commons has demonstrated clearly that not all Canadians are support the actions of the current government.  I salute them with pride and thanks.

Last night, and no surprise, the aptly named Harper Government, because Canada as a whole is certainly not well represented there, voted down the amendments put forward as a protest to the omnibus budget bill by the opposition parties.

At the end of the marathon vote, 22 hours non stop (I actually watched some of it. Up and down and up and down, as over and over to each name read and repeated, stand and acknowledge the Speaker as you vote.) After it was over a tired Minister Flaherty gave the same tired statement to the press that Canadians wanted jobs and prosperity, that they had mandated the government last year to get that for them.  Well yes.  Who doesn't want to be employed and well off.  But this tired repetition is entirely forgetful that the Canadian people want other things as well and considers them worth the price, like a healthy environment to pass on to their children, like fair wages and labour practices, like democracy.

Yes, Harper currently leads the majority in the house, yes he and his party can now,  in dictatory style push through anything they want.  And I can't fault the 'get the thing done and let them howl' logic.  But a howl can rise to a level that will deafen, and when democratic rules are used to dictatorial ends, that howl can rise to to a hurricane pitch and sweep away that which offends it.  Mr. Harper, you offend.  You have the rules on your side, but you do not have Canada.

Canadian rules come out of British and French traditions where when the head of government oversteps the bounds of right, that head is removed.  The Official Oppositional call loudly for 2015, but I think MP May has the right of it.  Remove Harper now.  This is not America. He can be taken out as team captain and the team continue to play.  After all, even Conservatives have good ideas now and then.