The Election is First About Contempt
Well, it’s now just over a week into the six week election campaign. The leaders of the various parties are busy crisscrossing the country telling us what they are going to do. Like we actually will believe everything they say.
The challenge is to cut through the rhetoric to find the truth. The truth of course is also dependent on the perspective of the person perceiving it. I found it rather surprising the number of people I’ve encountered who believe the government was brought down over their budget. While the budget was not about to get support, it was not what brought the government down.
The government was brought down because they were found by the opposition to be in contempt of Parliament. The government’s contempt was specifically their ongoing refusal to provide full costing figures for expensive legislation they wanted the Opposition to support. It is the first time in our history a government has been found to be in contempt.
In general, Harper has shown nothing but contempt and disdain for our Parliamentary system since he arrived on the Hill. He uses it for his own ends and runs roughshod over anyone or anything standing in his way. This Canadian is bloody tired of it.
Before and since the launch of the campaign, he has tried to instill fear into the electorate by suggesting that if he gets anything less than a majority, the Opposition will form a coalition and unseat him. A coalition in his world-view is undemocratic, illegitimate and will destabilize the country.
What a crock.
We, the people, elect a parliament to govern. The party receiving the most seats in that election then need to have the confidence of the House in order to govern. If they fail at any point to have that confidence, the government falls and either we go to the polls or the Governor General asks the Official opposition to form a government with the support of one or more of the other parties.
The practice has been used repeatedly over the years and around the world in countries with Westminster forms of parliament. None of those countries have been thrown into a state of anarchy.
A minority government reflects the fact that a majority of Canadians who voted would not give any party their unreserved support. It sends the message that all the parties in parliament have to work together in order to provide the country with governance.
Harper has demonstrated repeatedly that he only plays well with those who will obey his every command. He has shown nothing but contempt for those who have the job of holding him and his government to account. He needs to be taught a lesson.
photo credit: Mattman4698
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