- Mr. Harper, Tear Down Your Wall !

2/15/2010 10:55:59 AM
Ignatieff wades into PMO versus banker fight. It's no way to run a country, Liberal Leader says, when politicians can't seek advice from experts, Jane Taber, 15 Feb.'10
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ignatieff-wades-into-pmo-versus-banker-fight/article1468522/Tab 12

TD Bank CEO Ed Clark, discussing a recent meeting with Harper who was obviously working under the under the guise of listening to what Canadian have to say in preparing their budget.
"He doesn't listen, but you get to chat with him"

Ed Clark also stated that at a recent meeting of the Canadian Council of (150) Chief Executives,". . . almost every single person said raise my taxes. Get this deficit done,". He was apparently referring to the GST - that's right, the one that Harper and his Con's went around saying how great that was and how it single handedly saved us from the ravages of the recession. Oh, it's also the one that Ian Brodie, Harper's adviser at the time, has come out and admitted that Harper implemented the GST reduction contrary to good economic advise. I guess Harper wasn't listening to Ed Clark or the Canadian Council of Chief Executives then either.

When it comes to the Budget, Harper and the Con;'s are obviously not listening to anyone, unless they already agree with Harper, of course.
Ignatieff is right (morally right that is), "Honest to goodness we can't run a country like this", especially if only 1/3 of Canadians voted for you.

It is a black mark on Canadian Democracy when Parliament has such little trust in the sitting Prime Minister and his party that legislation to limit the PM's powers would have to be brought in. We as a Nation have been able to get by without such legislative restriction on the sitting Prime Minister up till now. What is so different now from say Brian Mulroney and Jean Chrétien who had large majorities and could easily have abused their power but didn't.

The previous PM's had the interests of Canada, all Canadians and the future of this nation, at heart. Harper has dedicated his career in public life to tearing asunder Confederation. Soon Harper will be saying that the Federal Government is dysfunctional and disband Confederation.

It would appear that the suitable remedy, everything considered, would be (along with the mea culpa and carrying out the Will of Parliament) Parliament requiring clear and concise promise from Harper that he will seek the approval of Parliament in future to any such major decisions, that are currently under the 'rule of custom of the office of PM' , as Prorogation of Parliament.

Given Harper's track record of doing everything in the extreme and for political, partizan considerations only, the good of Canada be Damned, the appointment and discharge of Parliamentary Officials and heads of bodies that are the 'prerogative' of the PM be approved by Parliament, along with their proper operation, should be covered by this requirement as well.

So too Harper ought to seek the approval of Parliament when it comes to cutting funding for various groups and those required to testify in an effort to shed light on Harper and the Con's dark corners - I should say carryings on

One need only consider the following to conclude that the above restrictions on harper and teh Con's actions is just and fair: Canada's parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page, Linda Keen, the head of the Nuclear Safety Commission, RCMP's Public Complaints Commission and the Military Police Complaints Commission, cut off public funding for the ecumenical charitable group KAIROS, lashed out at public servants - like Richard Colvin, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

Lloyd MacILquham cicblog.com/comments.html