So the Prime Minister - who attended the annual Jewish Negav Dinner and fundraiser in Toronto this week - is giddy with talks of freedom and democracy. The 3500 in attendance must have been ignoring the fact that Stephen J Harper is doing more to destroy democracy than all Canadian leaders before him combined.
Our PM is no doubt - excessively partisan - and that may be considered politics as usual - but the rest of his behavior is not. Canada has changed drastically and negatively under his leadership.
He aligns himself with the USA - on issues of crime, punishment, guns, and jails while distancing himself from the USA on matters of progressive peace talks and actions.
If you recognize Canada today - you must not have been watching for the past 50 years.
Stephen Harper has neutered and spayed the country's media. Stephen Harper has ignored and diminished the importance of provinces and territories in our confederation.
No man is an island - with the exception of our Prime Minister. He rules as a king not as a parliamentarian. He serves himself not the people. He does not take the provinces seriously and punishes those who do not fall at his knees.
The most disturbing parts of this entire situation are that politicians representing other parties federally and provincial politicians are letting him away with eroding our democracy and the national media is allowing him to control all communication with Canadians.
We are currently in the middle of an embarrassing perhaps criminal situation with the Senate scandal - and his office is right in the middle of it. While I appreciate the efforts of Tom Mulcair to expose him in the House of Commons - I do not appreciate Harper's ability to keep it contained to that location.
Our Prime Minister dictates where and when the media can have access to him. He dictates who may ask questions of him and how many questions may be asked. He refuses to appear on either national network and answer for himself. He sends other people out to speculate on his thoughts, reasoning, and actions. The national media is promoting rather than deterring his behavior by allowing this to continue.
All members of the House of Commons who are not elected Conservatives should take their seats and say nothing until the Prime Minister agrees to normal media relations and explains himself to Canadians. If the Prime Minister continues to act like a dictator then all members of the HOC should stand outside the chamber and refuse to enter until he does so. This is newsworthy and is not controlled by Harper. The media should refuse to cover any News coming out of the government - particularly out of the Prime Minister's office - until he agrees to resume normal media relations.
So while Power and Politics (CBC) and Power Play (CTV) present themselves as "must see political-affairs program" and "daily marquee political program" respectively - neither have been successful in getting Harper to join them on the program regarding his role in the Duffy affair. The RCMP have taken emails and correspondence from the PMO and the PCO and speculation is abound on the role Harper may have played. The one thing missing is Harper - telling us himself - under media scrutiny - without limitations.
Our two national television networks have a responsibility to bring us the news - all the news - not just what Harper permits. I no longer am interested in "political panels" using ESP to tell us what's in Harper's mind. I am no longer interested in parliamentary secretaries, backbenchers, or even Ministers speaking scripted verse from Stephen's HOC Bible. I am interested in our Members of Parliament and our national media doing their jobs. This madness must stop and Harper must face his bosses - us.
I am not interested in hearing that Harper will have a migratory bird sanctuary in Israel named after him - nor am I interested in what sports teams he likes - or his woefully lacking musical talent - or that he and his wife like Pandas - we employ him to run the affairs of our country and to report to us on that.
If either Mulcair or Trudeau want the reins - show us what you're made of and restore our democracy.
2 comments:
Hear hear Sue! Very well put!
We all need to step up, beginning with Tory supporters who have had their blinkers on for some time. The time is now.
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