Harper runs the country like a king

[Saturn]

Just one more example how Harper's undemocratic tactics are stalling the work of parliament. MPs are elected by voters and they have to work out their differences and do their jobs. Instead, Harper has decided to run the country like a king, causing a complete stalemate in parliament. All policies are designed by the PMO and our democratically elected representatives are shown the door. Read it and weep.

http://www.garth.ca/weblog/2006/12/09/committee-interruptus/

[Canadian Blue]

The PMO's run the country for the past 15 years Saturn. Harper isn't all that different from Chretien, except for supporting fixed election dates. If you want to change the way our MP's vote in the HoC vote for a party that supports PR or democratic reforms.

[Saturn]

The PMO's run the country for the past 15 years Saturn. Harper isn't all that different from Chretien, except for supporting fixed election dates. If you want to change the way our MP's vote in the HoC vote for a party that supports PR or democratic reforms.

Harper promissed he would do things differently. And he is! He's taken even more power away from our representatives - they can't even sneeze without his permission. I've never seen such clampdown on free speech and free thought. I think that voters believed that Harper meant a move in the other direction when he said he'd do things differently.

[Canadian Blue]

He has done a few reforms in the senate, and promised a fixed election date. I'd like for our MP's to be able to vote based on what their constituents want, but so far no party has voiced support for that. The NDP, Bloc, and Liberal's have all forced their MP's to vote based on the party line.

If you think things are gonna change if a new government comes in then you're going to be dissapointed.

[southerncomfort]

He can only do so much with a minority gov't. I also am looking forward to a reformed senate, fixed election dates etc. Won't get that under the Liberals.

[Canuck E Stan]

All policies are designed by the PMO and our democratically elected representatives are shown the door. Read it and weep.

http://www.garth.ca/weblog/2006/12/09/committee-interruptus/

Where have you been buried?You have to be pretty niave if you think any other the other leaders will be different. This IS Canadian politics,this IS the way our country is run.Do you think Jack and Stephane are different? Politics in Canada has been run from the PMO's office since the begining of Canada.Someday we may have a democracy, until then,politicians with less than 40% of the popular vote will rule......their way.

[Saturn]

He has done a few reforms in the senate, and promised a fixed election date. I'd like for our MP's to be able to vote based on what their constituents want, but so far no party has voiced support for that. The NDP, Bloc, and Liberal's have all forced their MP's to vote based on the party line.

If you think things are gonna change if a new government comes in then you're going to be dissapointed.

He did some reforms in the senate by appointing an unelected friend a senator and a minister responible for over $10 BILLION of our tax dollars. That was just 2 weeks after he got elected on a promise of an elected senate. His promises for fixed election dates are worth just as much - 0.

Hmm, I seem to remember ministers participating in scrums and answering questions, MPs having blogs without being thrown out of caucus and occasional free votes. Even this small display of democracy is now gone with Canada looking more like a banana republic whose dictator makes all decisions single handedly than a democracy.

It's funny that Canadians are so proud of living in a democracy, yet when the party of their choice gets into government, all their democratic values fly out the window and all that's left is the desire to impose their minority views on everyone else. Pathetic!

[Saturn]

He can only do so much with a minority gov't. I also am looking forward to a reformed senate, fixed election dates etc. Won't get that under the Liberals.

Pff, you expect that under Harper

[Canadian Blue]

Truthiness in its finest form.

Hmm, I seem to remember ministers participating in scrums and answering questions, MPs having blogs without being thrown out of caucus and occasional free votes. Even this small display of democracy is now gone with Canada looking more like a banana republic whose dictator makes all decisions single handedly than a democracy.

It's funny that Canadians are so proud of living in a democracy, yet when the party of their choice gets into government, all their democratic values fly out the window and all that's left is the desire to impose their minority views on everyone else. Pathetic!

Were still a democracy, and the Conservative's can't be doing all that bad of a job if they are still in power otherwise the opposition would have brought down the government. As if you honestly think Harper want's to destroy democracy you are very naive, I think Harper, Dion, and Layton, all want the best for the country, its just they have different political perspectives.

Ever hear of John Nunziata???

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nunziata

In the buildup to the 1993 federal election, Nunziata criticized Liberal leader Jean Chrétien for appointing Art Eggleton over a local candidate in York Centre. He was forced to apologize for his comments, and was excluded from cabinet when the Liberals won a majority government in the election. He was the only member of the "Rat Pack" who was never included in cabinet.

Nunziata became increasingly outspoken in both his socially-conservative views and his criticisms of the Liberal government. On April 21, 1996, he was expelled from the Liberal caucus after he voted against the government's budget in protest over the government breaking a promise to rescind the Goods and Services Tax.

Pfft, do you expect anything different from Layton, Dion, or Harper.

[Figleaf]

...If you want to change the way our MP's vote in the HoC vote for a party that supports PR or democratic reforms.

Like the Reform Party used to do before it was hijacked by neo- and so- con agendas.

[mikedavid00]

Just one more example how Harper's undemocratic tactics are stalling the work of parliament. MPs are elected by voters and they have to work out their differences and do their jobs. Instead, Harper has decided to run the country like a king, causing a complete stalemate in parliament. All policies are designed by the PMO and our democratically elected representatives are shown the door. Read it and weep.

http://www.garth.ca/weblog/2006/12/09/committee-interruptus/

Canada is not a fuly democratic country. It may be in ideoligy, but not in reality.

[Remiel]

There are no fully democratic countries in the world. Full democracy does not exist. It is a figment.

[mikedavid00]

There are no fully democratic countries in the world. Full democracy does not exist. It is a figment.

That is true. But the United States of America has the greatest level of democracy that is not matched anywhere else in the world.

I feel we should move their system. We can't keep letting elites run our country from the back office.

[sharkman]

That is true. But the United States of America has the greatest level of democracy that is not matched anywhere else in the world.

I feel we should move their system. We can't keep letting elites run our country from the back office.

Yeah, we just did over a decade of hard time under the Liberals and it will take us at least two terms to recover. But those who hold the reins of power will not go quietly. This idea of changing the Senate is a good shart, though, and guess who's spearheading it? The Tories.

[M.Dancer]

America has cheque book democracy. While the nation may be democratic at the local level, anything beyond small town municiple is won by whomever can cough up the dough, and that is why we hear so many scandals in washington. Anyone who wants to be a Washington prfessional better be ready to fall on their knees and service the lobbiests.

[Wilber]

America has cheque book democracy. While the nation may be democratic at the local level, anything beyond small town municiple is won by whomever can cough up the dough, and that is why we hear so many scandals in washington. Anyone who wants to be a Washington prfessional better be ready to fall on their knees and service the lobbiests.

This is a product of their fund raising rules, not their form of government. Their representatives are more responsive to their electorate because the President has no power over them. They cannot be thrown out of caucus or not have their nomination papers signed because they didn't vote the way the big guy wanted them to.

Wonder why there are so many lobbyists in Ottawa if they have no effect on government.

[Remiel]

Let us for a moment entertain the idea that the U.S. is more " democratic " than Canada, on average (and keep it mind I don't think it has ever been proven what degree of democracy works the best). However, there is no force on Earth by which you could convince me that the U.S. has been more "democratic" than Canada over the last six years. U.S. democracy went in through Bush's mouth and has come out through his backside. The lies, the signing statements, the witch-hunts, did I mention how the lies? And what terrible lies they were. The lies Mulroney, Campbell, Chretien, Martin and Harper combined could not have been more damaging than the ones Bush has made.

[Wilber]

Let us for a moment entertain the idea that the U.S. is more " democratic " than Canada, on average (and keep it mind I don't think it has ever been proven what degree of democracy works the best). However, there is no force on Earth by which you could convince me that the U.S. has been more "democratic" than Canada over the last six years. U.S. democracy went in through Bush's mouth and has come out through his backside. The lies, the signing statements, the witch-hunts, did I mention how the lies? And what terrible lies they were. The lies Mulroney, Campbell, Chretien, Martin and Harper combined could not have been more damaging than the ones Bush has made.

I wonder if that would have been so if there had been no 9/11. The US was attacked and everyone jumped on the wrong bandwagon and most are now trying to get off. It was a situation ripe for abuse and I wonder if it would have been much different if it happened here.

[Saturn]

There are no fully democratic countries in the world. Full democracy does not exist. It is a figment.

That is true. But the United States of America has the greatest level of democracy that is not matched anywhere else in the world.

I feel we should move their system. We can't keep letting elites run our country from the back office.

This is the funniest comment I've heard in a year.

[MightyAC]

There are no fully democratic countries in the world. Full democracy does not exist. It is a figment.

That is true. But the United States of America has the greatest level of democracy that is not matched anywhere else in the world.

I feel we should move their system. We can't keep letting elites run our country from the back office.

Are you being facetious or are you just ignorant?! The winner take all style of US government is nowhere near the greatest level of democracy in the world. Luckily they only have two major parties otherwise the level of distortion and wasted votes would be the same as ours.

[Saturn]

Let us for a moment entertain the idea that the U.S. is more " democratic " than Canada, on average (and keep it mind I don't think it has ever been proven what degree of democracy works the best). However, there is no force on Earth by which you could convince me that the U.S. has been more "democratic" than Canada over the last six years. U.S. democracy went in through Bush's mouth and has come out through his backside. The lies, the signing statements, the witch-hunts, did I mention how the lies? And what terrible lies they were. The lies Mulroney, Campbell, Chretien, Martin and Harper combined could not have been more damaging than the ones Bush has made.

I wonder if that would have been so if there had been no 9/11. The US was attacked and everyone jumped on the wrong bandwagon and most are now trying to get off. It was a situation ripe for abuse and I wonder if it would have been much different if it happened here.

I doubt it. We want to believe that we are better than the Americans but if our politicians had chosen to push the Bush agenda, half of us would still believe that there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and all the rest.

[White Doors]

There are no fully democratic countries in the world. Full democracy does not exist. It is a figment.

That is true. But the United States of America has the greatest level of democracy that is not matched anywhere else in the world.

I feel we should move their system. We can't keep letting elites run our country from the back office.

Are you being facetious or are you just ignorant?! The winner take all style of US government is nowhere near the greatest level of democracy in the world. Luckily they only have two major parties otherwise the level of distortion and wasted votes would be the same as ours.

Are you being ignorant? The US voter has much more say democratically than a Canadian voter.

That is just a fact.

[Canadian Blue]

Thats true, look at the midterm election's. When a president pissed American's off they rewarded him by stalling his agenda and bringing in democratic majorities in both the House and Senate. America has a system of checks and balances, were as we have the PMO. What we need to do is bring in a system similar to perhaps Sweden or Germany. That way in order to govern you must be willing to compromise in order to bring about a coalition.

[Remiel]

Democracy is not just an election, it is what happens between elections.

[Wilber]

Democracy is not just an election, it is what happens between elections.

That's true and between elections US legislators vote as they see fit, not according to party discipline. That is more democratic.