Quote:
Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor
Really? It says that? Did they pass a new law? Because I am sure the amendment to the election act read something like this.
Subject to an earlier dissolution of Parliament, a general election must be held on the third Monday in October in the fourth calendar year following a previous general election, with the first general election to be held on Monday, October 19, 2009
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There. I've bolded the most important part.
Harper is asking the Governor General to
dissolve parliament and call an election, on the basis that he has lost the confidence of Parliament.
He may have passed a law to set mandatory election dates, but he didn't remove the Governor General's authority from the Constitution. We still have to have a functional Government. Are we supposed to put up with the current gong show for another year, just because a law was passed that prevents Governments from calling elections whenever they feel like it?
I mean, it would be different if Layton and Dion were actually interested in working with Harper to effect a working Government... but they aren't willing to do that. It's not like they have to agree with Harper (their job is to oppose him, afterall), but they certainly have to work WITH him to achieve a greater good.
It's become quite clear, over the past two years, that Dion and Layton's agendas are to dissrupt Harper's government
without forcing an election. In other words, they go in the media and pick everything apart, and threaten to call a confidence vote on every single issue... yet they still don't actually VOTE a lack of confidence. Even when they've had a confidence vote, they still didn't VOTE a lack of confidence.
That's the kicker. They're treating Harper's government like they have lost confidence in it - but they are too terrified of an election, so they are willing to ride it out until the mandatory date. Is that responsible? Is that effective?
It's like a lawyer that forces a witness to say something so the jury can hear it, even though they know it will be objected and sustained. Dion is in the media constantly saying (with his actions) that the Harper Government does not ahve the confidence of Parliament... yet they will not VOTE him down, because they are afraid of an election.
Harper's hands are tied, so he's finally goign to force them to put their money where their mouths are. He's tired of the bully tactics and he's going to let Canadians have their say. He knows he's going to take a hit on this, but he's doing it because he also knows that Canada needs strong leadership - not a bunch of children running around playing tag with each other.
Like he's already said... if he doesn't win, then he doesn't win... but, at least Canadians will have some say in how their government is behaving.
I'm not trying to be flippant, I just don't understand what's so hard to fathom about dissolving a dysfuntional Government and asking Canadians to elect one that will work. I can't be the only person in Canada who's sick and tired of the constant bickering over power and chasing crumbs and scraps, instead of actually working together to represent this country responsibly.
Yeah. Harper's not calling an election on the date that his law says he should... but the
Canadian Constitution says we're entitled to an effective, responsible Government.
The last time I checked, the Constitution outranks the Law.
