18 November 2011

Eighteen: Decorum Before Democracy!

Today's lesson in democracy from the federal government: when riding roughshod over democratic procedures, always try to provoke the opposition to use 'colourful' language in their critique of your actions. That way, you can make a big deal of the language used and no one will pay attention to the fact that you are overriding democratic procedures.

Yes, NDP MP Pat Martin apparently tweeted some naughty words in response to the government's invoking closure to pass its budget. And the language seems to be a bigger issue than the cutting off of debate.

You have to wonder why a government is unable to respect the rules of debate and move its own legislation through to adoption. Yes, I realize that closure is one of the rules, but isn't it meant to be the exception, for cases of urgency, and not something you should have to use with legislation that is not unexpected? Either they are tired of hearing voices in opposition, or they are bad legislative planners.

But all that, of course, pales in comparison to using the f-word!

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