Harper Prorogation Part III

[Mighty AC]

Harper confirmed that he will ask the GG to prorogue parliament until October. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/08/19/pol-harper-commons-prorogation.html

What is the point of an additional month off? Is there a bill in the works that he wants killed or is he just hoping the additional time will help the spending scandals dissipate? Sure his popularity is low right now, but the next election isn't until 2015.

[PIK]

Never heard a whisper of this till now.

[GostHacked]

Never heard a whisper of this till now.

It's just being revealed now. Last couple times, we got hints of it happening, this time he just drops it.

This is getting ridiculous. Harper feeling the heat from all these expense scandals perhaps? Can't we just hand them all pink slips and get people that can actually run this country?

[cybercoma]

Obviously doesn't want to answer any more questions about Senators. Duffy's lawyers threatened to call Harper to the stand, then two days later he's proroguing Parliament? Convenient.

[GostHacked]

Obviously doesn't want to answer any more questions about Senators. Duffy's lawyers threatened to call Harper to the stand, then two days later he's proroguing Parliament? Convenient.

Wonder if charges like obstruction of justice can be applied in this case.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

... This is just an abuse of the system.

We need these crooks who are signing taxpayer rights away to corporations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership out.

[cybercoma]

Wonder if charges like obstruction of justice can be applied in this case.

I don't see how that applies. Question Period isn't a court room.

[PIK]

Now that I have look at it , why not, as he said a majority of hwat he said has been done. Now it is time for a new throne speech and get on with the good work they are doing. I am tired of listening to the same old liberal BS.

[PIK]

... This is just an abuse of the system.

We need these crooks who are signing taxpayer rights away to corporations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership out.

Really now and what about this.

.

Compared to a few Liberal PM's, Stephen Harper is a proroguing amateur.

Chretien 4, Harper 2.

35th Parliament Chretien 1996/2/2

36th Parliament 1999/9/18

37th

Parliament 2002/9/16,2003/11/12 ( the last one was done to avoid the auditor

generals release of the report on Adscam)

And if you really want a lopsided score how about this one:

Trudeau and Lester B. Pearson 11, Harper 2.

26th Parliament Pearson 1963/12/21, 1965/4/3

27th Parliament Pearson

1967/5/8

28th Parliament Trudeau 1969/10/22,1970/10/7,1972/2/16

29th

Parliament Trudeau 1974/2/26

30th Parliament Trudeau

1976/10/12,1977/10/17,1978/10/10,1983/11/30

[Boges]

Don't forget the 5 month prorogation of the Former Ontario Liberal Premiere Dalton McGuinty last October to do a leadership contest because he couldn't handle to heat from his own scandal.

Edited August 19, 2013 by Boges

[g_bambino]

Obviously doesn't want to answer any more questions about Senators. Duffy's lawyers threatened to call Harper to the stand, then two days later he's proroguing Parliament? Convenient.

A prorogued parliament has no bearing on Harper's availability for testimony in a court. It does, though, obviously affect his availability to answer questions in the House of Commons. It's the opposition's responsibility not to let the matter of senators' expenses drop, if it's really that important. The Conservatives and NDP in the Ontario legislature rightly didn't forget to bring up the gas plant fiasco as soon as McGuinty's advised (and convenient) prorogation ended. It'll be a while before investigations and reports on certain senators' activities are complete, anyway.

[g_bambino]

Now that I have look at it , why not, as he said a majority of hwat he said has been done. Now it is time for a new throne speech and get on with the good work they are doing. I am tired of listening to the same old liberal BS.

Throne speeches are given only at the beginning of a new session of parliament and a prorogation doesn't end a parliamentary session.

[Boges]

With the revelations about Mac Harb can Trudeau 2.0 really act all indignant in QP about Senators expenses?

[Bryan]

Throne speeches are given only at the beginning of a new session of parliament and a prorogation doesn't end a parliamentary session.

By definition, that's exactly what it does.

[scribblet]

I doubt that waiting a month to return is due to the Senate expenses, really the gov`t would know how that would be taken. IMO it`s more to do with having some time to regroup, ready for a budget and preparing the legislative agenda. I think we are going to be seeing some strong positions and push back to the negativity.

[PIK]

Harper will fix the senate, he just needed to put in a couple of idiot journalists to prove his point. LOL

[g_bambino]

By definition, that's exactly what it does.

Yes, that's right. I meant life of a parliament; i.e. the time it's consituted between elections. But, even so, it seems that what I said was incorrect; a throne speech is read when parliament reconvenes after a prorogation. My apologies to PIK.

[ed.: +]

Edited August 19, 2013 by g_bambino

[Topaz]

I think ALL Canadian workers should tell the boss, hey the Tories are getting more paid vacation so I'm thinking you should give me a couple more weeks of paid vacation. Of course, this would never happen because politicians get away with scamming taxpayers. Since he also announced he NOT retiring and going into the next election, he probably trying to stay on the good side of the Mrs.

[Smallc]

Yes, that's right. I meant life of a parliament; i.e. the time it's consituted between elections. But, even so, it seems that what I said was incorrect; a throne speech is read when parliament reconvenes after a prorogation. My apologies to PIK.

[ed.: +]

I was really surprised you didn't know that....You need to have a Throne Speech at the beginning of every sitting.

[g_bambino]

I was really surprised you didn't know that....You need to have a Throne Speech at the beginning of every sitting.

Yeah. I didn't think about how a prorogation nullifies all bills, meaning the government has to set a new legislative agenda when parliament is summoned again.

[On Guard for Thee]

Harper is doing the only thing he really knows how to do regarding government: shut it down! After all he holds the record. And not just for prorouguing but also for using closure. And he didn't stop there, no sir, he racked up the legacy of being the only PM ever to be found in contempt of parliament. The silver lining in the cloud is that he is staying on as leader for the next election. With the baggage he already has, and that which will rack up when he finally does have to deal with the myriad of scandals, it should be fairly easy to have them sent back to the doldrums so we can begin to repair the damage they have done.

[cybercoma]

A prorogued parliament has no bearing on Harper's availability for testimony in a court. It does, though, obviously affect his availability to answer questions in the House of Commons. It's the opposition's responsibility not to let the matter of senators' expenses drop, if it's really that important. The Conservatives and NDP in the Ontario legislature rightly didn't forget to bring up the gas plant fiasco as soon as McGuinty's advised (and convenient) prorogation ended. It'll be a while before investigations and reports on certain senators' activities are complete, anyway.

Sorry. From the context of my post it seems like the lawyer thing had something to do with Parliament. What I meant was that Harper doesn't want to be grilled about his involvement in the Duffy and Wallin fiascos during QP, especially now that Duffy's lawyers have dragged him directly into it.

The timing of the prorogation isn't at all unusual though, I was kidding about that. He's halfway through his majority mandate, which means he's going to switch gears for election mode. New throne speech and away he'll go, treating Canadian voters like scared little children. FEAR the opposition! Voting us out will bring economic calamity! Then the "gifts" from the government will start to flow. All the half-started programs they'll use during election time to blackmail voters. "Look at what we're trying to give you. But we can't do it if you vote us out." Then as soon as they're elected the programs gets scrapped.

I really hate politics sometimes. It's such BS.

Edited August 20, 2013 by cybercoma

[cybercoma]

With the revelations about Mac Harb can Trudeau 2.0 really act all indignant in QP about Senators expenses?

Just wait until the full audit. There's some Senators that are crapping their pants right now for sure. The only reason Duffy and Wallin get attention is that they were news celebrities already.

[cybercoma]

.

Edit: Already covered.

Edited August 20, 2013 by cybercoma

[cybercoma]

I think ALL Canadian workers should tell the boss, hey the Tories are getting more paid vacation so I'm thinking you should give me a couple more weeks of paid vacation. Of course, this would never happen because politicians get away with scamming taxpayers. Since he also announced he NOT retiring and going into the next election, he probably trying to stay on the good side of the Mrs.

It's not a vacation. Members' work is not limited to sitting in the House.