'Democracy no longer enters into it'

This week I will let a few other commentators speak to the condition of our democracy and the Harper regimes ongoing disdain for opposing views, parliamentary process, the taxpayers, and that promised open and accountable thing!.

First up Rick Mercer regarding the probability of yet another Omnibus budget bill on its way:-

“One of the most elegant pleas ever made against omnibus bills was made not that long ago in the House of Commons by a handsome young man by the name of Stephen Harper. He said it, omnibus bills are anti-democratic, they’re a slap in the face to MPs and voters.

See, this fascinates me. Because it's one thing if you don't know any better, but he clearly does, he just doesn't care. Who does that? I wouldn’t want to spend five minutes in that guy’s head for all the money in the world. Because he knows right from wrong here, he's on record, but he has decided it's okay to do wrong in order to advance the right. And democracy no longer enters into it.”

Next Elizabeth May on the Chinese take over of part of the oil patch and the 'investor protection' that may be part of the recently signed trade agreement yet to be made public. Any guesses which way this one is going to go......

“I want greater ties with China for environmental endeavors, and cultural exchanges, and — yes – trade too. Losing sovereignty to China makes me nervous. I don’t want to be intolerant. But I want us to trade items made in Canada, by Canadians, to China. I don’t like the idea of China owning Canada. It makes it hard for us to point out to the Chinese government that it must start respecting human rights. We need to be really forceful in advocating for religious and political freedom in China. How do we do that when they have veto power over Canadian laws?”

An American comments upon the 47% remarks by Romney but the same holds true here with Harper 'negotiating' several 'free' trade agreements behind closed doors as I write:-

“You often hear that competition due to "globalization" means that we have to accept lower wages and fewer benefits, because people "over there" make so much less. What has caused the pressure, however, is "free trade" agreements that allow companies here to close factories here and open them over there, and then bring the same things they used to make here to sell in the same stores. The only "trade" involved in this transaction is trading who does the work.”

A Canadian piece about how the Harper regimen changes their tune to suit the politically inspired attack message of the day, particularly if it suits their do nothing environmental policies.......

In 2008, the Conservative platform promised to “develop and implement a North American-wide cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gases and air pollution, with implementation to occur between 2012 and 2015.” Now, however, the Conservative attack machine denounces a cap-and-trade system, as conceptually proposed by the NDP, as a “carbon tax,” a job killer “that will increase the price on everything.”

And then of course there is the ongoing efforts by the “government” to NOT get to the bottom of the Election robocall mess.

“Steven Shrybman on behalf of the applicants makes the point that the same Conservatives who are demanding his clients put up a large security deposit against costs are the ones who are driving costs up by filing so many motions. “ (and delaying the ruling by doing so)

For more history on this one check out my Election Malfeasance page above.

http://democracyunderfire.blogspot.ca/p/election-malfeasance.html

Regarding the latest spin from the Harperites Tim Harper of the Star opines:-

“Never missing an opportunity to inject cynicism into the body politic, the Conservatives will place the MPs’ pension matter in another omnibus bill, serving their purposes on two fronts.

By stuffing it into a bill that will run hundreds of pages and include a litany of measures the opposition will not support, they hope to score cheap points with reports that Liberals and New Democrats opposed the pension reform.”

I very much doubt if he is wrong on that. But wait there is more, we could not have the current lot pay any more into their pension plan or loose some benefits now could we...

“The new MPs’ pension arrangements are still being discussed with Harper’s 163-member caucus, some of whom are concerned about losing future entitlements, according to Tory insiders. But changes to retirement benefits are expected within a few weeks when a second budget implementation bill comes before Parliament.
To enlist the support of Conservative MPs, the new plan is expected to be phased in, meaning today’s MPs will not lose any of the future pay-outs that have accrued so far.
But over the next five years, the government will do away with the current arrangement that sees MPs contribute only a fraction of their pension savings, with taxpayers picking up the rest. “

There is much more but that’s about all my stomach can stand for today!

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