If Brad Wall Is Right

And the provinces have become, in effect, the triple "e" Senate, why on earth do we need that useless body in Ottawa?

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If Harper Was Being Serious...

I would be behind him all the way. But, this is just our sovereign lord throwing a temper tantrum. He wants an elected Senate in order to hobble government forever. He wants squabbles between houses to gum up the works of government so nothing ever gets done. It is second best to abolishing government altogether (except for the police, the jails and the military), but Harper is an incrementalist. Abolishing the Senate would make government more streamlined and that does not fit into Harper's plans at all.

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The First Surprise

Harper says voters hate surprises, but I would say his Senate appointments constitute a surprise. I expect several of these this year, followed by three years of blanket denials they ever happened. Also, I expect the Globe will once again endorse our Dear Leader, while pleading with him to change his ways. We live in pathetic times.

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To Hell With A Senate Referendum, Jack

And bold move over electoral reform, Jack. Another committee to study it. Way to go. With initiatives like that, we will see electoral reform sometime after Jesus comes back to Earth.

Here's a counter proposal. Adopt a position, publicly, before an election, that the NDP will not form a coalition with any party that will not agree to the immediate abolition of the Senate and to implement electoral reform. Let the election be your referendum. That is how responsible government is supposed to work.

Update: Rob Silver provides an almost instant taste of the stuff the Liberals would spread during an actual referendum. They specialize in this kind of thing. You see according to Rob Silver, we can't do anything, ever, in this country, because maybe Hitler will rise from his grave and demand equalization payments, if we do. As I said Jack, the only thing these bastards listen to is a kick in the balls. Use whatever leverage you have after the next election wisely. Your coalition partners are evil pricks.

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There Is An Old Saying

I just made up: If you have no plans to govern, you might as well just fuck around. That is Harper's moto. This latest move has nothing to do with actual Senate reform (to say nothing of climate change). This is all about sticking it to the opposition, so the braying morons at the Blogging Tories can throw feces around, for a while. The geniuses at the PMO are up to their usual frat-boy stunts. *

*With apologies to frat-boys, who are mature in comparison to the motherfuckers at the PMO.

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Look A Shiny Thing

Well, at least this got Jack Layton to shut up about Afghanistan, for a few minutes. I am sure it is just a coincidence.

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What's Wrong With Our Politics...

In one small paragraph. By the inimmitable Norman Spector:

Many Canadians no doubt think that our country would have been better off had he [Harper] fallen on his sword before now. Others, and I’m in that group, think we’re better off with Conservative hacks, flacks and bagmen, and not just Liberals, sitting in a Senate that should be but is impossible to abolish and that is virtually impossible to reform.

Translation: We haven't tried to abolish the Senate, but it must be too hard, right? So, let's pack the place with our hacks, instead. Why should the Liberals be the only ones to wallow?

And people wonder why Canadians are tuning out our political betters?

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Senator Doug Finley

Yet another argument in favor of abolishing the Senate. Suey, suey!

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