21 January 2010

Ignatieff on Powers of Prime Minister

3:49 Michael Ignatieff: "We need a Prime Minister who accepts and welcomes the fact that his or her power is limited by Parliament, by independent regulators and by independent institutions like the courts."

And therein lies the rub. Stephen Harper has shown that the power of the Prime Minister ISN'T limited by Parliament or the other agencies mentioned in Iggy's response.

In answer to a follow-up question, Ignatieff wrote: "As a great writer once said, rules are for people with no character. Meaning, that you need to legislate when you cant trust the people who hold power. My view is that we dont need to legislate limits on prorogation. We just need to return to the basic understanding that used to limit prerogative power, namely that you dont use it to duck tough questions in parliament and you dont use it to duck a confidence vote. harper used it this way and it was wrong, and Canadians are telling him dont ever do that again."

So it's just 'trust me'? You're a man of character?

Yea, right. Had you been Prime Minister when Dubya was putting together his 'coalition of the willing' in 2003, you'd have sent Canadian troops to attack Iraq. How did CHARACTER help you then?

To hell with you, Michael Ignatieff. I keep hoping and hoping for change, but if there's any change at all, it always favours the status quo. Predictably, of course, my question never saw the light of day. I am now officially depressed.

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