It's Not His to Give Away

In the last election, Stephen Harper's Conservatives got 34% of the votes cast by the 65% of eligible Canadians who turned out to vote. That's the approval of 25% of the electorate. He got one in four Canadians to vote for him. Put another way, he was rejected by two out of three Canadian voters or three out of four eligible Canadians.

That is a limited mandate indeed, a caretaker mandate at best. It is anything but a ringing endorsement for change from the populace, more like a learner's permit. As Leader of the Opposition, Harper repeatedly emphasized the limited role of a minority prime minister. What a difference a few months can make. Now that Harper holds the slim minority, he's acting like an absolute ruler. In some ways it seems he shows less restraint and as much arrogance as Mulroney with a solid majority.

The worst example of Harper's arrogance is his latest attempt to expand provincial powers by curbing federal spending power, an idea that Harper is privately pitching to the premiers. It is reported that Harper is suggesting a constitutional amendment to cement the measure.

Mulroney nearly tore the country apart with Meech Lake and the subsequent, Charlatan Accord. Fortunately Clyde Wells saw the light and forced the proposals to be placed before the people on a referendum. Both sides had ample opportunity to present their arguments and we decided what we wanted for Canada, not what the politicians of the day wanted.

Harper, like Mulroney, wants to give away the farm with nothing in exchange from the provinces. What gives this jumped up redneck the idea that he has any right to restructure OUR constitution?

For better or worse, and subject to many drawbacks, an election is our chosen means to determine who we will be allowed to govern for a few years. Our constitution, however, defines how we consent to be governed by any leader, by any party. Our constitution is our very contract with our government and it's not the property of any government of the day to alter for its own, immediate political advantage.