Punished by Rewards

There’s been a lot of concern in Canada about the recent prorogation of parliament by the Conservative government and there’s been no lack of attention in the Canadian media. Almost exclusively – with the exception of a few lost souls – has it been negative. The government shouldn’t just shut down the operations of government and run into a fox hole at the slightest sign of trouble.

True.

But there’s also been a bunch of writing that would lead you to believe that the Canadian Constitution is in jeopardy and the sky is falling – that Harper has essentially declared himself the state and shut the doors to democracy. He’s violated a sacred oath of some kind in the halls of Canadian Politics (as if that hasn’t been done enough, before). Heck, even the philosophy professors are getting in on the action. Something serious must be afoot.

This is too much.

Sure, Harper has shut down the government. Sure, it looks cowardly and foolish. No one believes the stated reasons for shutting it down and what’s worse, they’re increasingly believing their worse suspicions and fears; that the Conservatives are nasty beasts and that were likely aware of the torture being done on their detainees.

For this, it appears, Harper will pay dearly. Where once he looked strong and in control -images his opponents could only dream of projecting in the past few years -he now appears weak and cowardly. A shaking, shell shocked man, hiding from his own shadow.

I admit, the Canadian system could go for a lot of improvements. The Senate clearly needs reform. Independent councils need more funding and independence.

But Stephen Harper is not a direct threat to our constitution. He is not stealing our democracy. The Canadian people will someday soon have a vote and when they do, they will do so knowing that when push came to shove, Harper turned tail and ran. That’s not the kind of person they’ll want to vote for. And in that vote, Canadians will affirm their democracy and put to rest all the hand wringing and chicken littles for whom the Canadian Democracy sky is falling.

Relax. The system isn’t great. It’s broken in some parts. But it’s working in its own way and i’ll take our democracy over the dysfunctional mess they call the United States of America any day.