Chris in the News: We weren't elected to be cheerleaders at the Olympics

from The Hamilton Spectator

Parliamentary shutdown 'routine', says Harper
Online anger grows with claims democracy is being hijacked
January 06, 2010
Joan Walters

The list of Canadians angered by Prime Minister Harper's decision to suspend Parliament continued to expand on Facebook and other Internet sites, encouraging citizen action groups working to co-ordinate public protests in 20 cities.

Canadians who want Parliament to resume Jan. 25 as planned were being invited to rallies in Hamilton and dozens of other cities Jan. 23, as complaints about the shutdown intensified on the web.

It was not clear whether anti-Harper sentiment was as widespread in the general population in the wake of Harper's unexpected decision on Dec. 30. But a Facebook group called Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament doubled in membership in 24 hours to more than 40,000 by late yesterday.

"I can't believe the response, and not just from politically active people," said McMaster student Shilo Davis, one of the Facebook group's co-ordinators. "When you start explaining what's happening, and why it isn't democratic, you get a lot of everyday people on board."

Political science professor Neil Nevitte says networking sites like Facebook are a favourite medium for organizing protests and creating forums for political exchange, especially among the young.

Nevitte, of University of Toronto, says it's hard to gauge the degree to which a Facebook audience represents all Canadians. Even so, "the reaction is clearly more than we've seen in the past, for sure."

Davis's group is encouraging those who want the House of Commons back in action this month to write their MPs or find another way to "make their voices heard."

Harper prorogued, or shut down, the current session of Parliament with a phone call to Governor-General Michaelle Jean. Business will resume after the Olympics with a speech from the throne on March 3.

In an interview with CBC-TV correspondent Peter Mansbridge last night, Harper argued proroguing is a "routine constitutional matter."

The minority Tories say they needed to reboot Parliament now that the economy is no longer in crisis. Some government members have also said national attention will be focused on the Olympics from Feb. 12, a potential diversion.

"We are not elected to be cheerleaders at the Olympics," said New Democrat Chris Charlton, MP for Hamilton Mountain. "We're elected to do the business of the Canadian people. The prime minister has denied the majority of Canadians their voice in Parliament."

Critics say Harper is simply frustrated he does not have more control over legislation and committees, including a special committee exploring allegations of abuse of prisoners in Afghanistan.

"You don't use proroguing every time you want to shut down the House and shut down the people on the other side of the aisle," said York University's James Laxer, a professor of political science who has joined the Facebook group.

"People are alarmed that Canadian democracy is being hijacked."

David Sweet, Conservative MP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale and a backbench member of the Harper government, did not return calls.

"The issue is the delay," says the NDP's Charlton. "We are not out of this recession.... I defy you to find somebody currently unemployed who believes a six-week delay in potentially getting enhanced benefits ... is not a big deal."