- Harper, Take Notes: Parliamentary Democracy 101

Submitted: 10:21am, 7 May '10, CBC News

British Tories seek 3rd-place party's support, May 7, 2010, CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/05/07/uk-election-minority.html#socialcomments

Anyone in Canada who thinks that choosing the next Governor General is not important or that Stephen Harper won't make it a political appointment, need only read the following quotes:

"In the past, the sitting prime minister has been given the first chance to try to form a government — even if his party didn't win the largest number of seats.

. . .

Brown, who gave no indication he is prepared to concede, said he respected Clegg's desire to hold discussions with the Tories first — but he noted he would also be open to holding discussions with Clegg's party."

In other words, in the next election, even if Stephen Harper and the Con's were to get fewer seats that say the Liberals, Harper is the sitting Prime Minister until either he resigns or the Governor General chooses another Prime Minister.

I know, I know, last time Harper cried that he was elected Prime Minister because the Con's got the most seats so how could he then turn around (or in the vernacular "flip-flop") and say he is holding on. In a word, if that question even needs answering: ethics, morality, fair play and abiding by Canada's time honoured traditions and legislation has never slowed him down before.

If the Governor General is a political appointment by Harper, what is the likelihood that he/she would exercise their discretion, do the right (morally as opposed to politically) thing and compel Harper to resign. Harper would then use the old line "it would be a Parliamentary coup and a violation of Democracy for the other Parties to get together, with a majority of seats and form the government, we must have another election".

Of course, even if Harper obtained the most number of seats, but not a majority, does anyone really think that he would say, well the English Parliament allowed the other parties to get together with a majority of seats and form the government so I will step down.

The Governor General is the 'referee' in these matters. I can only suggest that all Canadians take the appointment to this office very, very seriously. If our time honoured traditions fail us, we have nothing to hold our nation together and can only fall into darkness.

Lloyd MacILquham cicblog.com/comments.html