Prorogue

OTTAWA – If Stephen Harper’s Conservatives were serious about getting tough on crime they would not have killed 17 crime and justice bills or junked all the work that has been done by committees on these bills, says New Democrat Justice Critic Joe Comartin Windsor-Tecumseh).

OTTAWA (David Ljunggren, Reuters, Jan 28, 2010)) - The opposition Liberal Party has pulled narrowly ahead of the governing Conservatives in public support for the first time since last July, according to an opinion poll released on Thursday.

The Ekos survey put the Liberals at 31.6 percent support, up from the 30.9 percent in a poll done by the same firm last week. The Conservatives slipped to 31.1 percent from 31.5 percent while the left-leaning New Democrats slid to 14.6 percent from 14.9 percent.

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.

(Canwest News Service, Sunday, January 24, 2010)  Frustration with and anger at Stephen Harper’s decision to prorogue Parliament spilled from the Internet onto the streets Saturday, as tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered at rallies across Canada.

SAULT STE. MARIE - Saultites will have the opportunity to voice their opposition to the Stephen Harper's prorogation of Parliament on Saturday, January 23rd at 2 p.m. in front of Sault MP Tony Martin's office at 369 Queen St. East in downtown Sault Ste. Marie.

In a move decried as cynical and opportunistic, in the face of ongoing questioning surrounding the Afghan detainee scandal and tumbling poll numbers, Stephen Harper prorogued Parliament on December 30th, 2009 until March 3rd, 2010.

Fixing prorogation central to New Democrat plan
 
OTTAWA – New Democrat leader Jack Layton, after slamming Prime Minister Harper for his dismissal of Parliament, today set out constructive proposals for reform, including new rules for prorogation.
 
He said New Democrats will introduce legislation ensuring the government prorogues Parliament only on a vote in the House of Commons, not on the whim of the prime minister.
 

(CBC, Jan 15, 2010) Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been dismissive of the criticism of his decision to prorogue Parliament. He has suggested that it is just "idle chatter that is out of touch with the real priorities of Canadians."

( Richard Gwyn, The Toronto Star, Jan 15, 2010)  At last, the cavalry is coming, if not at a gallop then at a quite decent trot.

These last couple of weeks have been deeply depressing for anyone interested in Canadian politics.

VANCOUVER –  New Democrat Leader Jack Layton today urged Prime Minister Harper to bring back Parliament on January 25 and, in return, offered to support the reinstatement of the government bills that had been killed by prorogation.

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