Canada's Parliament now appears to have returned to its pathetic "business-as-usual" mode in the aftermath of the inexcusable prorogation last December. This gives citizens the dubious privilege of contemplating the events of the past few months, and trying to learn the necessary lessons to help us prevent further subversion of our democracy.
Federal election
This column is being written in the middle of a federal election campaign, the outcome of which most readers will know by the time they see it. Not being prescient, I can only hope, as I write in ignorance of what happens on October 14, that the outlook for the country will be better, not worse, after the ballots are counted. But my optimism, I’m afraid, is minimal.
An Interview with Professor Jim Harding
While the U.S. appears to be on the verge of attacking Iran just for having a nuclear reactor, Washington and its allies continue to be the biggest nuclear proliferators in the world. Chief among these nuclear allies is Canada, which provides up to 40% of the world’s uranium, the largest amount. Eighty percent of Canadian uranium is exported, with 76% going to the U.S.
Does anyone remember that the Conservative party, just four years ago, promised to implement a national drug plan? During the 2004 election, with health care a top priority for Canadians, the Conservatives made a commitment of $2.8 billion for a federal program to cover drug costs for individuals who had to pay more than $5,000 a year for their prescription drugs. It was part of a promise to spend a total of $13 billion of new federal money over five years on health care.
This book is one in a series of CCPA publications that have examined the records of Canadian federal governments during the duration of their tenure.
Another federal election is over and the House of Commons appears to reflect what on the surface many voters wanted – an end to 14 years of Liberal rule, and a tight reign on the new Conservative government. But the campaign and the composition of the federal legislature once again raise some nagging questions about the health of our democracy.
Is minority government good for Canada? Former Conservative pollster Allan Gregg would have us believe in his Strategic Counsel poll this week that 55% of Canadians (and 64% of Quebecers) think a Harper majority would be good for the country.One wonders what Canadians’ response would have been if the question had been prefaced with the statement that a Harper majority would tear up a major international treaty obligation--the Kyoto Accord; or that it would put Canada’s support for George Bush’s Missile Defense program back on the table.