Monday, March 28, 2011

All roads lead to Stephen Harper. The subversive strategy at play.


It's perhaps too obvious to require putting into words, but Harper's every action is designed to make him the only choice available to Canadians. How else to explain the enormous contradiction inherent in it being okay for him to install himself as Prime Minister as the head of a coalition of parties involving the Conservatives, the Bloc and the NDP as he proposed in 2004 but when either Stephane Dion or Michael Ignatieff contemplate such a move it becomes an option that Harper claims lacks any legitimacy and would lead to dire consequences? Ditto for the two times that Harper prorogued Parliament in order to force an election whose timing benefited him and no one else.

The only thing lacking any legitimacy is Stephen Harper's many arguments and maneuverings that are designed to make him the only game in town, and to ensure that all roads lead to Stephen Harper. Wake up Canada, as this is a serious abrogation of our political system for one man's political gain and power lust. The effect of these various maneuverings by Stephen Harper is too deprive Canadians and the Canadian political system of some very important options that need to be preserved in order for our democracy to be a complete one. Made especially important by the fact that we have five parties at the national level vying for power and not simply two parties (as in the US).

By denying Canadians of the very real and viable option of forming a coalition government, as presently exists in the UK, we are simply according Stephen Harper with more options of his own. That's the sole rational behind his contradictory and hypocritical stance on coalitions. Good if a coalition installs him as Prime Minister and bad if it means installing someone else as Prime Minister. Harper is more likely to remain as Prime Minister in a scenario where he forms another minority government and is not faced with the prospect of losing the confidence of the House early in his term and being replaced by a coalition of parties (as exists in the UK) that is able to command the confidence of the House. By raising the spectre of all the evil that exists in the option known as a coalition government, Stephen Harper is merely helping to advance his call for a majority mandate.

I for one was not impressed when Michael Ignatieff was so quick to swear off the very real and viable option of a forming a coalition government, rather than taking the opportunity to inform Canadians about who the real losers are when such options are denied them. What kind of leadership are we to expect from someone who is so quick to deny Canada from such important options when faced with a bit of head wind from the (inane) media and from an opponent who will use any argument, regardless of how contradictory or hypocritical, in order to ensure that all roads lead to him?

This is how dictators like Stephen Harper operate, by depriving the electorate of real choices that are integral to the system, thereby subverting the system, and diminishing our democratic rights as a consequence by allowing them to rewrite the rules and hoard power for themselves.

Could it be any more obvious? Could it be any more subversive?

9 comments:

Annie said...

When I grew up (a while ago) people thought much more about decency. How did Harper get to peoples minds like that? I hope he does not get a majority..minority is bad enough with him.
I read that with Contempt hanging over him, he should not be running at all in this election .... isn't that the same as Impeachment , once he falls on contempt?

Brent Fullard said...

Good point Annie!

Harper's act of subverting our Parliamentary procedures and rules by decrying the concept of a coalition (when it doesn't suit him) is just another example of the CONTEMPT that Harper has for Parliament.

This is what Ignatieff should be saying!!!

Dr Mike said...

A black hole is a region of space from which nothing, not even light, can escape.

Sounds like Stephen Harper , center of the Canadian universe , sucking everything towards himself , leaving nothing for the rest of us.

He is slowly removing our ability to think for ourselves , telling us only what he thinks we need to know , leaving nothing to chance.

Just like a black hole , the light of democracy has been reduced to a trickle soon to be shut completely.

We need a champion to fracture the darkness.

Anybody seen one??

Dr Mike Popovich

Annie said...

It would not matter if the Liberals, or anyone else ran a god..Harper would still get at peoples minds..I do not know what kind of minds people have, because Harper gets to them, and they believe him..cannot think for themselves. I think if it were not Harper, the liar, and just someone as a regular PC, the Parties would have more of a chance. I would love to see Harper up for Impeachment

Brent Fullard said...

Annie:

Another good point!

If I were in Iggy's place or one of the other Opposition leaders', the way that I would approach Harper's partisan claim that "coalitions are bad" would be to tell Canadians and the press that Harper is taking them for fools and playing them like a fiddle with such arguments and false outrage. Combine that argument with your earlier argument and say that Harper's heated opposition to coalitions is just another example of Harper's contempt for Parliament and the rules of the game.

If the United Kingdom, as the model for Parliamentary democracies can have a coalition government (headed by a Conservative no less), then why can't Canada? The emergence of five parties at the national level has only served to increase the need for this coalition alternative to exist, as opposed to lessen it.

One simply has to ask the question: Who is at the head of the parade saying that coalitions are bad? Answer: Stephen Harper.

Gee I wonder why?

Or are Canadians and the press really that brain dead stupid to not understand Harper's real motives?

Anonymous said...

"Tories put corporations ahead of families: Ignatieff", http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20110328/2011-federal-election-campaign-day-three

Harper subverts the democratic system of Canada, including subverting income earned in Canada by Canadian investors and seniors.

Harper has damaged the income base of Canadians by giving foreign corporations the tax preference of using inter-company debt service to wipe out Canadian taxable income.

I understand Harper is going to announce tax breaks for families. If he wants to put Canadian families on a level playing field with foreign corporations, he should allow me to deduct interest expense I pay my wife, and to exempt my wife from paying tax on her interest income.

Hey Stephen! you make that tax-goose fly for me, eh?

Darth Vader said...

>>Wake up Canada, as this is a serious abrogation of our political system for one man's political gain and power lust.<<

Soon, Canada's journey to the DARK SIDE will be COMPLETE. Canada ... I am your father!

Anonymous said...

Hi Darth,
Don't be silly. My old man would never say "serious abrogation". He'd say something using the B- and H-words.

Something like "Bloody hell! They don't even have to use paperbags and hotel rooms anymore. They can wire the money out of the country all nice and Conservative."

Bruce Benson said...

I heard the reason Iggy doesn't want to support a coalition is because soft voters will figure it's OK to vote NDP,Green or Bloc. Voters will think, what the hell, they are just going to create a coalition anyway, what's the harm of voting against the Liberals? Unfortunately in this case, a vote for the other parties ensures Harper continues to reign supreme.