Harper’s Contempt for Parliament – Growing Grassroots Public Uprising

200,000 on Facebook and Growing

SAULT STE. MARIE – While welcoming an extended period for work in the constituency because of the proroguing or suspension of Parliament, Sault MP Tony Martin supports a growing grassroots public uprising against Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decision.
 
“Canadians recognize what is at stake here, pure politics, as he dodges questions on his government’s complicity in any torture of Afghan detainees,” Martin said. “It is cynical and it is contempt for democracy from someone who preached accountability and transparency for his government.”
 
A Facebook group calling itself Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament already has over 60,000 members creating dozens of chapters with plans to hold rallies across Canada Saturday Jan. 23 on the weekend before Parliament was to resume.
 
“The Facebook group message is ‘get back to work’ and that is exactly what New Democrats want to do. A year ago it was the coalition government in waiting that made the prime minister prorogue Parliament. Now it is the Afghan detainee issue and really their lack of an agenda for our country.”
 
 "By pulling the plug on Parliament, Stephen Harper killed 36 government bills which were making progress, including bills dealing with important issues such as consumer protection, white collar crimes or digital policy," Martin said.

"Canadians need their MPs to be in the House. They need help to recover from the recession, many are still struggling to find work, there is a pensions’ crisis, yet Stephen Harper chose to lock the doors of parliament instead of getting back to work."

 New Democrat Justice Critic Joe Comartin (Windsor West) said “This is all about avoiding the detainee issue and hoping to get a bounce back in the polls after the Olympics is over and nothing to do with actually fighting crime in this country.” The Conservative anti-crime bills not passed yet must all be reintroduced. Comartin said this could also force many victims of crimes and their families to relive painful memories if they return to Parliament for new hearings as the bills get reintroduced.
 
 "They tout themselves as being protectors of victims of crime," Comartin said. "But each time we go through this, we relive the horror of the loss of a close family member."