A Study in Hypocrisy

From Canoe.ca

Once again, Stephen Harper has reneged on his campaign promises of reforming the Canadian Senate. I believe that most people recall the PM’s grand plans to reform the senate into an elected body, with Senators sitting for 6-year terms; a plan that was driven by his promises of accountability. Despite these grand overtures, Harper has once again named a number of partisan Conservatives to the country’s higher house in favour of developing (some form of) a majority. Claiming the upper house stood as a bulwark to the progress of his government (making no mention of his legislative minority in the House of Commons), Harper has re-affirmed his commitment to promoting accountability only when it suits his political interests.

If Harper is so determined to increase accountability and democracy in this country, as he claimed in his last two campaigns, should he be so apt to embrace patronage when it becomes available to him (as is the case with Senate appointments)? His theme here is that these five senators are “crime and punishment” conservatives. They are people who stand tough on crime and will provide moral leadership (as well as numeric superiority) in the upper house. He believes that since his government’s crime bills have been blocked on several occasions, he needs to develop a majority in one house which will allow them to push through this legislation. He seems to be oblivious to the fact that the majority of the House of Commons (the elected representatives of Canadians) have steadfastly denied this legislation because it is not the will of the majority of Canadians. So not only is he going against his campaign promises to reform an undemocratic institution, he is actively pushing through legislation which is widely viewed as being against the political will of the elected representatives of Canadians.

This man never ceases to amaze me with his smug and megalomaniac behaviour.  He has been a study in saying one thing and doing the opposite. By filling the Senate with men and women who have long bought into his “cult of personality” (Kool-Aid anyone?), Harper has managed to once again stomp on Canadian democracy. Add this to the most recent prorogation of parliament and I begin to worry that our PM has become exactly what he railed against during the years of Liberal government that he sat in opposition: a tyrant. He has become so comfortable in power that he neglects his responsibilities to Canadians. He neglects that we have a constitutional right to elect representatives, who in turn vote to do what we please. He neglects the checks on his power and acts as if it is absolute. Mr. Harper’s hyocrisy in claiming that he stands for accountability while pursuing these avenues is, to date, one of the most vile and devious acts of his time as PM.

~ Drew

(Note: What makes this entire situation even more devastating to me is the appointment of Bob Runciman, who has stood as the MPP in my riding since before my birth. The rest of Ontario (as he acted as leader of the Ontario opposition), and even Canadians, have probably heard of him through some of his “finer” moments, most notably his reference to Belinda Stronach as a Dipstick, and for his noted views on race and responsibility for crime in Toronto. I implore you to take a look at your newest Senator)