Thousands Attend Anti-Prorogue Protests
Posted January 23, 2010 11:46 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
If Prime Minister Stephen Harper was hoping the crisis in Haiti would overshadow the discontent over his move to shut down Parliament, he probably now realizes that was wishful thinking.
Thousands of Canadians outraged by his decision to prorogue voiced their protest on Saturday at rallies across the country.
In Toronto, more than 3,000 people spanning the political spectrum gathered at Yonge-Dundas Square, marching down a busy stretch of Yonge St. and calling for Harper to get back to work.
“These demonstrations happening all over the country are Canadians’ way of saying, ‘You are wrong. You are completely wrong about us. You pushed us and now we’re mad,'” said 46-year-old Andrea Dale, who works in finance and was attending her first protest.
Non-partisan Jason Young, 36, was there because he had begun to resent Harper’s interpretation of democracy.
“I hope there are a lot of people who would identify themselves as Conservatives here today, because all Canadians should be concerned about this,” he said.
At another rally, aptly, on Parliament Hill, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, NDP leader Jack Layton and Green Party leader Elizabeth May spoke to the crowd.
Layton is proposing legislation that would curb the prime minister’s power to prorogue.
The organizers’ website, noprorogue.ca, ironically quotes Harper in a statement from April of 2005: “When a government starts trying to cancel dissent or avoid dissent is frankly when it’s rapidly losing its moral authority to govern.”
Many believe the suspension of Parliament on December 30 signals exactly that. They say it’s an abuse of power and accuse Harper of depriving his political opponents of a platform to criticize his government, especially regarding the torture of detainees in Afghanistan.
But Harper claims his government simply needs time to prepare its economic plans.
“The international economy remains fragile and there is still a danger that we could be pulled back once again through no fault of our own. That’s why protecting Canada’s economy remains the top priority of Canadians and that is why it is still our top priority,” he said at a caucus meeting Friday.
“The Economic Action Plan has been working and we must see it through.”
And while speaking to reporters, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney backed up the PM, saying the government works better when it’s not in session.
“As a minister, I often get more done when the House is not in session,” he said.
“That’s not to say Parliament is unimportant. But from a ministerial point of view, I think any minister in any government will tell you that’s probably generally the case.”
Before the prorogue, the House of Commons was scheduled to reopen on Monday, but will now remain closed until March 3.
With files from the Canadian Press
