Thank you, Ralph Surette

Two related articles came out today on how Harper is destroying our democracy - one by  James Travers, and one by Ralph Surette. 

Both bring out similar concerns:

Indeed, the Harper government merely gets worse: more controlling, angry, manipulative, contemptuous of Parliament, more suspicious of its own civil service - and more incompetent, in its Bush/Cheney way, on anything touching foreign affairs. It also represents a minority of Canadians.  - Surette

Coldly cynical and conveniently effective, the advantage tilts dramatically to the ruling party. Sharing only favourable factoids and fearing no challenge from an opposition frozen outside the loop, Harper, sounding like a U.S. president, speaks directly to the people over the heads of MPs, Parliament and, should the need arise - as it did during the coalition crisis - even the Governor General.

We are witnessing institutions crumbling under the weight of assumed personal power. After decades of whittling away the principles, precedents and even laws limiting their manoeuvring room, prime ministers are now free to do as they please, at least until voters next make their mark.  - Travers

Both provide examples of Harper`s contempt of Parliament, and his refusal to be open and transparent with the public.

However, Travers and Surette come to different conclusions.

Out there, where the undecided and skeptics are kept at arm's length, Ottawa's secrecy culture isn't a kitchen table worry. Out there it would be rude to ask when the buck last stopped at a minister, how civil servants became fall guys or how watchdogs lost their bark. Out there, if Conservatives have it figured right, the manipulation of an inconvenient Parliament will slide by with the same ease as the piece-by-piece deconstruction of democracy.  - Travers

The "issue of governance" is how to get rid of it - and what to replace it with. Although the Harper government has managed repeatedly to work its way up to the 40 per cent range in the polls, considered majority country by the pollsters, as soon as the cameras focus on that fact, something blows up and the lead sinks like a stone.  The problem is that when the cameras turn to the Liberals, they sink like a stone as well...The Liberals will have another shot at it at the next election. If they fail again, then something will really have to be done. Enough international humiliation and enough scorpions.  - Surette

Travers seems to have already buried the public`s ability to play their role in a democracy and force chage, while Surette fans our angry embers, telling us with his closing words that something will have to be done if the politicians don`t oust this abominable government.  There is little question that Surette is calling to us, the citizens of Canada.

That`s good journalism.  Respect for readers, not afraid to shake us up, not afraid to opposr government.

The turning point in events such as the French revolution that lead to commoners gathering together and fighting injustice was the invention of the press.  Information was able to reach many, and the corrupt leaders did not control those running the presses.  The writers of the releases understood their role not only to inform the public and making them aware of corruption, but to remind them of their role in shaping their own fate and that of their country.

So, thank you, Ralph Surette.  We need more of this to remind all Canadians that it`s not ``rude to ask when the buck last stopped at a minister, how civil servants became fall guys or how watchdogs lost their bark,`` and that we have the power to stop ``the manipulation of an inconvenient Parliament (sliding) by with the same ease as the piece-by-piece deconstruction of democracy."