Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Sorry Flanagan, Harper's Perfect Salesman for Lib-NDP Plurality Govt

I see Flanagan and the Cons are worried enough to try to stage preemptive strikes in the middle of summer. As usual, the real message was buried right at the end, when the false Con lines are quietly repeated, but he tries to give them credence by seeming reasonable in his preceding analysis. Nice try, but sorry suckers, not gonna work. I, like many, have already frequently deconstructed these false revisions of history and democracy, and it's amusing to watch Flanagan try to pretend that a Plurality Govt of Federalists, which needs no formal support from the Bloc, is the same as one that does, and hence somehow different and bad, as compared to a Lib-NDP majority. It's one thing to try to move the goalposts, it's another to insist that headers are suddenly illegal. Hilarious. It's because it's illogical and lame that it's funny. But the best part, as usual, was what isn't in there, and which worries him and others enough to try to delineate the debate on their terms, and that is that it's undeniable that Harper is the best salesman for a Lib-NDP plurality Govt, but not just politically, but also constitutionally-politically. While waiting for the the Cons to face the House and their defeat, the Libs and NDP would be well-advised to send a letter plagiarising Harper, virtually word for word - except for Harper's mention of the Bloc, since that would no longer be necessary with a Lib-NDP plurality. Below is my first quick suggestion for the Lib-NDP letter, with the few changes from Harper's words highlighted:
Excellency,
As leaders of the largest parliamentary grouping opposition parties, we are well aware that, given the Conservative party is the smaller parliamentary grouping as a result of their electoral losses Liberal minority government, you could be asked by the Prime Minister to dissolve the 40th 38th Parliament at any time should Prime Minister Harper refuse to resign as is customary and the House of Commons defeats the government on a matter of confidence fail to support some part of the government's program.
We respectfully point out that the Liberal-NDP parliamentary grouping opposition parties, which who together  constitutes a plurality majority in the House, is ready to fulfill its constitutional and democratic duty to provide stable, representative government should you call upon it, as is customary. have been in close consultation. We believe that, should a request for dissolution arise this should give you cause, as constitutional practice has determined, to consult the Leader of the Official Opposition and of the largest parliamentary grouping opposition leaders and consider all of your options before exercising your constitutional authority. We are certain you are well aware of the manifold pertinent precedents, such as the 1985 Liberal-NDP Accord in Ontario, and forbear from belabouring this obvious point.
Your attention to this matter is appreciated.
Sincerely,

Hon. Michael Ignatieff Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.
Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Liberal Conservative Party of Canada
Gilles Duceppe, M.P.
Leader of the Bloc Quebecois

Jack Layton, M.P.
Leader of the New Democratic Party

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