According to the Toronto Star, Furious Leader Stephen Harper is going calling on Governor-General Michaelle Jean tomorrow to ask her to either prorogue parliament or dissolve parliament and call a new election. It's a gambit that reeks of desperation now that the opposition is doing what Harper himself tried when he wanted rid of the Martin government.
But, let's face it. This is all about Steve and his political ambitions and that's the story of his life.
Stephen Harper is an autocratic, secretive, manipulative, duplicitous and controlling bastard and that's why he stands alone today. It's not only the opposition parties that want to see him gone. There are plenty within his own ranks that would welcome a breath of fresh air.
Harper has never had time for anyone but Stephen Harper and he's made that clear not just to his opponents but to his colleagues as well. He expects to get his way and when he doesn't he turns into a hard-mouthed quitter. There's an unquenchable mean streak that runs through Harper, a need to vanquish, to humiliate. It manifests in a bully who screams at underlings and kicks over chairs. The man defines "ill tempered."
In the wake of his second, minority win, Stephen Harper had a choice. He could accept that he was a prime minister with only a minority government or he could ignore that and act as though the Canadian public had given him a majority. He promised to make parliament work but then he's promised so many things that have turned out to be empty promises, hollow gestures.
Instead of consulting the majority opposition, hearing and respecting their views, seeking to build consensus, Harper trashed all that and proceeded, not to lead, but to rule.
Now he wants the GG to dissolve parliament before the opposition can hold a non-confidence vote. That's so pathetically self-centred as to be almost unbelievable. Or, in the alternative, simply suspend parliament altogether so Steve can use the federal government's resources to wage an unrestrained election campaign over the next month or two.
For her part, Governor General Jean would have to do some interesting gymnastics to give into either of Harper's demands. Could she do it? Quite frankly, at this point, who can tell?
At this point there are better than even odds that Stephen Harper is already a dead man walking.
But, let's face it. This is all about Steve and his political ambitions and that's the story of his life.
Stephen Harper is an autocratic, secretive, manipulative, duplicitous and controlling bastard and that's why he stands alone today. It's not only the opposition parties that want to see him gone. There are plenty within his own ranks that would welcome a breath of fresh air.
Harper has never had time for anyone but Stephen Harper and he's made that clear not just to his opponents but to his colleagues as well. He expects to get his way and when he doesn't he turns into a hard-mouthed quitter. There's an unquenchable mean streak that runs through Harper, a need to vanquish, to humiliate. It manifests in a bully who screams at underlings and kicks over chairs. The man defines "ill tempered."
In the wake of his second, minority win, Stephen Harper had a choice. He could accept that he was a prime minister with only a minority government or he could ignore that and act as though the Canadian public had given him a majority. He promised to make parliament work but then he's promised so many things that have turned out to be empty promises, hollow gestures.
Instead of consulting the majority opposition, hearing and respecting their views, seeking to build consensus, Harper trashed all that and proceeded, not to lead, but to rule.
Now he wants the GG to dissolve parliament before the opposition can hold a non-confidence vote. That's so pathetically self-centred as to be almost unbelievable. Or, in the alternative, simply suspend parliament altogether so Steve can use the federal government's resources to wage an unrestrained election campaign over the next month or two.
For her part, Governor General Jean would have to do some interesting gymnastics to give into either of Harper's demands. Could she do it? Quite frankly, at this point, who can tell?
At this point there are better than even odds that Stephen Harper is already a dead man walking.
Another bloody election!! Someone needs to scream at the Canadian public to get their lead out and do what is their duty and responsibility......VOTE. If they had we wouldn't be in this mess and that is all it is.....a bloody mess. A. Morris
ReplyDeleteRelax, AM, there's no need for an election. If, at the outset of a parliamentary term, one party clearly cannot govern (doesn't have the confidence of the House) but a coalition can form an effective government, you simply give the workable government power. It's called "parliamentary" democracy and this is just an incident of that. We're not a republican state - at least not yet.
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