Liberals Join NDP in Push to Rein in PM's Power to Prorogue

Canadians need clear, binding conventions' on shutting Parliament

(Les Whittington, The Toronto Star, Jan 26 2010)  OTTAWA–Prime Minister Stephen Harper can't be trusted to protect Canada's democratic system and needs to be reined in by opposition MPs, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says.

He announced his party is joining with the NDP in proposing rules to curb a prime minister's power to suspend, or prorogue, Parliament.

"Parliament doesn't serve the Prime Minister – it serves Canadians," Ignatieff said. "That's why Canadians need clear, binding conventions on the proper use of prorogation."

He spoke in front of the doors to the House of Commons chamber, which is off limits as a result of Harper's decision to close Parliament until March 3. Otherwise, MPs would have returned to work Monday after their holiday break.

Ignatieff, who said last week prorogation is a legitimate use of prime ministerial power, told reporters he changed his mind because "we're listening to Canadians."

Thousands participated in rallies on Saturday to protest Harper's move to shutter Parliament.

Ignatieff said Harper cannot be relied upon to uphold the traditions of parliamentary democracy.

"We're dealing with a prime minister who has shown he doesn't have the political character to respect our institutions, so in our view, a change of the rules is needed," Ignatieff commented.

The Liberal proposals would require a prime minister to give advance notice of any intention to suspend Parliament and seek a full debate of that decision. It would block a prime minister from proroguing to avoid a confidence vote and would establish other limitations on prime ministerial clout.

Harper has said he suspended Parliament to work on his government's economic program. But critics say it was an abuse of power intended to deprive the opposition of a platform from which to criticize the Conservative government.

Liberal and New Democrat MPs were on Parliament Hill on Monday to emphasize their contention that Parliament should be at work.

The elected representatives of the people are "being denied the right to take our seats," NDP Leader Jack Layton told a news conference. "This is fundamentally unCanadian. It runs so contrary to our sense of who we are as a people."

Last week, Layton proposed a rule that would bar a prime minister from shutting down Parliament without a majority Commons vote.

Harper was in Montreal on Monday at an international meeting on rebuilding Haiti.