The option of Proroguing Parliament

[madmax]

BTW - I suggest that proroguing be celebrated by eating perogies, or 'proroguies' in this case.

They are very popular at Christmas time. YUM!

I hope that the PM and all the MPs are not paid during the break.

[g_bambino]

flick on newsnet right now.

It's already on CBC

[stignasty]

I'm really repulsed by this. Parliament is suspended simply to allow Stephen Harper to maintain control. Sickening.

[Vancouverite]

What's next now?

Harper will have just over a month to find a way to crack the Coalition, and, since it's now Christmas season, very few people will be listening to him.

When January 26 or whatever comes around, the opposition will be itching for revenge, and he'll have to choose between giving up his seat or calling an election. The GG will probably give in to his wishes, and I'm wiling to bet he'll call an election. If he's turfed out, his caucus will bury him.

We'll be going back to the polls again, pretty soon.

[Pat Coghlan]

I'm really repulsed by this. Parliament is suspended simply to allow Stephen Harper to maintain control. Sickening.

Ah, but Canada's purse strings have been put out of reach of Dion/Layton/Duceppe for at least 2 months.

Hopefully, Canadians will get an opportunity in 2009 to indicate who they want to give this HUGE responsibility to. If they think it should go to the Liberals and NDP, this will be much more palatable than putting someone who was rejected as leader by the electorate.

[White Doors]

I'm really repulsed by this. Parliament is suspended simply to allow Stephen Harper to maintain control. Sickening.

Not sickening, merely part of the priveledge enjoyed by virtue of being the PM. He has the power, no one else does.

[Michael Hardner]

Harper will have just over a month to find a way to crack the Coalition, and, since it's now Christmas season, very few people will be listening to him.

Very true, however what better time to offer tempting 'presents' to Quebec ?

Perhaps Duceppe will find something under his tree this Christmas such as:

1) Boost in transfer payments

2) Trade considerations

3) Quebec allowed to issue passports

Ho ho ho !

[munkless]

I have a feeling we'll be seeing alot of Harpie in commercials between now and Xmas. Not sure if he can block the coalition come Jan and call an election, because if he can that'll be what will occur. If not, then Vive la Coalition! (in January).

[ThatGuy]

I suppose this financial crisis isn't important enough to need people sitting in the House.

[Who's Doing What?]

Typical bully behaviour.

When bluff and bluster fail to work they run and hide.

Enjoy your holidays Mr. Soon-to-be-Ex PM Harper.

[capricorn]

I think its funny that the CPC supporters here are calling for Harper to prorogue Parliament, which in effect means nothing will be done to help anyone until it reconvenes

Shakey, I think some measures are due to come into effect on Jan. 1 and the government continues to negotiate with its partners on other measures. The fact that the politicians are brokering for power has not brought the government's workings to a standstill.

[Vancouverite]

This is how I look at it. The opposition will be waiting to vote for non-confidence, regardless of how much money Harper promises. Harper, to avoid losing his job, will call an election. The Liberals will still be without a leader, and Stephan Dion will have no mandate to offer an alternative. So, after that forthcoming election, we'll have a minority government again, with Harper as PM. The next thing, then, is to see what happens when the Liberals get their leader. Then I predict YET another election.

This will make me wonder ... is Canada a viable nation?

[Smallc]

I am happy with the Governor General's decision. We should all respect it and understand that she did it with the best interests of the country at heart.

[Alta4ever]

I suppose this financial crisis isn't important enough to need people sitting in the House.

The you should have been supporting the currrent government anyway, as it would take months for a transition to a new government, time to get new staff in place. You can just decree from on high to have to have the staff in place to enact the legislation or do you not get that?

[madmax]

Not sickening, merely part of the priveledge enjoyed by virtue of being the PM. He has the power, no one else does.

I enjoy watching the ball bounce back and forth. The Coalition forces need to recognise that what has happened is within the rules of parliment and the safeguards built.

Just like the Anti-coalition forces must recognise that the coalition has the right to assume power, should the GG grant it, in the event that the CPC lose the confidence of the house.

[madmax]

I am happy with the Governor General's decision. We should all respect it and understand that she did it with the best interests of the country at heart.

Whoa, we agree?

[White Doors]

I enjoy watching the ball bounce back and forth. The Coalition forces need to recognise that what has happened is within the rules of parliment and the safeguards built.

Just like the Anti-coalition forces must recognise that the coalition has the right to assume power, should the GG grant it, in the event that the CPC lose the confidence of the house.

They do have the constitutional right to do that, but to their own peril.

As this week has demonstrated, Canadian voters demand to be respected.

This is why we will see the Liberals backing away from this asap.

And Dion will be put away in someone's basement somewhere (assuming the LPC have anyone in the strategy room that isn't a volunteer)

[Alta4ever]

Whoa, we agree?

I'm not she needed to dissolve parliment we need an election

[g_bambino]

I'm really repulsed by this. Parliament is suspended simply to allow Stephen Harper to maintain control.

While I see, on one hand, that by proroguing parliament the Govenror General has set a potentially worrisome precident, I'm also aware that, as long as there is a set date for parliament to return, Harper, though he remains Prime Minister for now, but is not off the hook - and will face the House again. Prorogation does have the benefits of allowing a cool-off period for those morons in parliament, and of avoiding an election over the Christmas period, of which there would still have been a risk had the volatile coalition been installed.

I can't believe I agree with the republican Margaret Wente, but I echo her sentiments in the following:

Between now and then, it would be nice if Ms. Jean could figure out a way to stop our elected legislators from yelling "Traitor!" and "Liar!" at each other on national TV. This business has become embarrassing. Remember when we used to ridicule the Americans for having a political culture that was moronic, juvenile and destructive? Those were the good old days. Because now, it's us.

Globe and Mail: Can it get any more pathetic? You betcha!

I shudder to think what the next month will bring...

[kimmy]

We will have to wait and see if some alternative solution can be arrived at during the break, or if the same thing is going to happen as soon as they get back.

After the firestorm of controversy this has ignited, I expect that the Conservatives and many Liberals would be very eager to find some alternatives. Layton and Duceppe no doubt thought this coalition was a dream come true. And for Dion I am sure it seemed like his big chance to be remembered as something other than the political equivalent of the Edsel. Saner portions of the Liberal party, however, still have the future to think about. Ignatieff and Rae both want to be Prime Minister some day, and are probably painfully aware of the long-term effects this coalition would have had.

I think Ignatieff or Rae (or both of them) could come out of this looking like true statesmen and (dare I say) Prime Ministerial, if they took the reins from Dion and worked with the Conservatives. The potential for Rae and/or Ignatieff to come out of this looking like the kind of leaders that Canadians want in Ottawa is absolutely huge, and I hope they take advantage. It would be so much better for the country than this coalition.

-k

[stignasty]

September 9, 2004

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D.

Governor General

Rideau Hall

1 Sussex Drive

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0A1

Excellency,

As leaders of the opposition parties, we are well aware that, given the Liberal minority government, you could be asked by the Prime Minister to dissolve the 38th Parliament at any time should the House of Commons fail to support some part of the government’s program.

We respectfully point out that the opposition parties, who together constitute a majority in the House, have been in close consultation. We believe that, should a request for dissolution arise this should give you cause, as constitutional practice has determined, to consult the opposition leaders and consider all of your options before exercising your constitutional authority.

Your attention to this matter is appreciated.

Sincerely, Hon. Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P. Leader of the Opposition Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada

Gilles Duceppe, M.P. Leader of the Bloc Quebecois

Jack Layton, M.P. Leader of the New Democratic Party

http://www.liberal.ca/story_15511_e.aspx

[g_bambino]

I'm not she needed to dissolve parliment we need an election

She will, just not now.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

The Governor General has spoken, there is finality in that.

The result of that decision is that we effectively now have a government working behind closed doors. Policy will be revamped and the citizens of Canada have no say in what that may be. Harper has effectively thwarted the will of elected members of the House of Commons. Harper has effectively managed to keep his job, until late January, after that he is done like dinner. He knows this.

The actions of the government have successfully woke up many Canadians, this may not work in his favour, and in my opinion this will cost him all his seats in Quebec and will likely cost seats in all other locations.

There will be another election, sooner or later and between then and now Harper will spend millions of party dollars on an election campaign that has not been called. The Governor General may yet side against Harper when the Commons returns in January. This could cause lots of problems for the party. His leadership is at stake.

This is a very strange situation, the government has dodged a confidence motion. In my mind this becomes not merely a question of the constitution but in reality the validity of our system of democracy. The law relevant to the formation of government has been applied by the Governor General, this puts a whole new dimension into play.

[jdobbin]

I think Ignatieff or Rae (or both of them) could come out of this looking like true statesmen and (dare I say) Prime Ministerial, if they took the reins from Dion and worked with the Conservatives. The potential for Rae and/or Ignatieff to come out of this looking like the kind of leaders that Canadians want in Ottawa is absolutely huge, and I hope they take advantage. It would be so much better for the country than this coalition.

Even the National Post's Don Martin says that Harper will not offer an olive branch. It seems all or nothing. Death to all those oppose.

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/st...html?id=1029154

MPs who are loyal to leadership race front-runner Michael Ignatieff, who is known to be uncomfortable with the coalition concept, are looking and hoping for a way to negotiate another option.

But the Prime Minister's single-minded fixation on the Liberal-New Democrat coalition, ignoring repeated questions on how he planned to deal with the economy, is not healthy.

The results of Mr. Harper's survive-at-any-cost assault and Mr. Dion's desperate-for-power partnering with the Bloc Quebecois have resurrected the two solitudes in Canada. The West is again hyperventilating at the spectre of Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe dictating year-round Christmas gifts for Quebec interests while watching their Prime Minister replaced by a leader like Mr. Dion, who was so recently rejected by voters and his own party.

[jdobbin]

I'm not she needed to dissolve parliment we need an election

Well maybe Harper can fire her and then put in a loyal Tory who will give him the right answer.