- Preston, if you really want to restore confidence in Parliament – simple: Get rid of Harper and the Con’s

Posted to: Globe and Mail, “It's time for a fresh start in Parliament”, 2 July, 2009, Preston Manning
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/its-time-for-a-fresh-start-in-parliament/article1202622/


Harper and the Con’s since being elected have taken steps, systematically, to marginalize Parliament (all aspects, including in Champers and Committee), the Senate, access to information, transparency, openness and certainly have their sights on such other fundamental institutions and protectors of our democratic rights as the Supreme Court of Canada and the Judiciary, itself. The effect, and to me the manifest purpose, is to concentrate power in the Executive, in other words, the Prime Minister.

Harper and the Cons have turned Parliament into not much more than a smoke screen, a diversion and, much to the assault on the integrity of all Canadians, their own focus group for their attack ads. The longer Harper is in power the more he will become entrenched.

The legislation that Harper and the Cons have introduced is a hodge-podge intended not to generally promote any ideology, Conservative or otherwise, or address any serious social issues but are self-serving and/or designed for their ‘optics’ no matter how obviously bad they are (e.g., Flaherty ‘Fiscal Update’ last December and the reduction in GST). Clearly, the ‘more’ is not the ‘better’.

You suggest, “some agreement to alter the ‘confidence convention,’ so the only condition on which a government could be defeated in the House would be on an explicit motion of no-confidence moved for that purpose.” Clearly that would entrench Harper that much more, Preston, perhaps that is why you are suggesting it.