Oakville Democracy Rally video

Willie Lambert's "gold medal" speech at the Oakville No Prorogue rally.

Rally numbers...

For those interested in the rally numbers, check out the following facebook thread started by Tammy. She uses an interesting methodology, reporting on the high and low reports and determining a median number as somewhere approximating the truth.

Rally numbers are always a bone of contention. For one thing, some people leave before other people arrive so there's usually no single time that everyone is present. It's not unrealistic to add 10% or so to account for this.

I firmly oppose boosting (or diminishing) numbers to make an event look good (or bad) and think we should be honest and realistic in our reports. For one thing, our opponents will suggest all rallies, by their very nature, are failures no matter how many people are reported. So it does not help the cause to unrealistically boost numbers.

Rally news synposis...

Lots of good coverage of the Toronto and other rallies and marches.

Rabble.ca

RabbleTV - Thousands come out to No Prorogue Protest in Toronto

Some great visual shots of the march, rally and excerpts from some of the speakers and performers.
Rabble Podcast - Interview with Judy Rebick about the 'Canadians against proroguing parliament' (CAPP) protest
Rebick discusses the importance of these mobilizations, the impact they're having and future directions.

Rabble publisher Kim Elliot's No to prorogation rally Flickr pics

Toronto Star - Thousands protest the prorogue

City News - Thousands Attend Anti-Prorogue Protests

CBC - Thousands protest Parliament's suspension

CP24 - Thousands of prorogation protesters ask MPs to go back to work

Globe & Mail - Thousands protest prorogued Parliament

G&M - Ian Capstick - From Facebook to filling the streets

G&M - Readers rally pics

Canoe - Thousands protest proroguing of Parliament

CTV - Local man's Facebook group sparks national protest against prorogation

Ottawa Citizen - Protesters demand Harper reconvene House

Montreal Gazette - Thousands turn out at rallies to protest proroguing of Parliament

NewsFix - Successful anti-proroguing rally in Toronto draws 5000

Examiner - Thousands of Canadians 'March for Democracy' in downtown Toronto

National Post - Thousands turn out at rallies to protest proroguing of Parliament

XTra Blog- Favorite Signs

Fundraising at the Toronto action

The Toronto rally and march were great! As there is no institutional funding at all, it was necessary to "pass the hat". The response was overwhelming as the 5s, 10s, 20s and even a few 50s made their way into the baskets. This should cover the expenses for today's event - sound system, printing, etc. - and leave some funds left for future activity.

Yours truly raking in the donations. Photo by Kim Elliot - rabble.ca

Christopher and Shilo give their thoughts...

'We are not an apathetic people': Facebook group founder

Christopher White, the graduate student who created Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament (CAPP), published an essay on rabble earlier this week. Here's an excerpt:

This prorogation is far more than a matter of parliamentary procedure, it is emblematic of an institution that has turned its back on its people. We can stand outside and rage against the machine for as long as we like, or we can work together and take it apart, brick by brick and rebuild it anew. The upcoming rallies are not the culmination of our efforts, they are the beginning. Let's start with prorogation and use our inevitable success to push for greater reforms, ones that ensure that our government is accountable, transparent, and responsive to the demands of the electorate. As in, you know, do what it's there

Shilo Davis, an early CAPP member who took on the hard job of coordinating tomorrow's rallies, published her thoughts in today's National Post.

We don’t pretend that 200,000 people will take to the streets on Saturday. That’s not the point. Three weeks ago, Mr. Harper calculated that proroguing Parliament would be less politically costly than allowing MPs to hold the government accountable for its actions — specifically, to continue investigating the Afghan detainee issue. We’re out to prove him wrong, and dramatically increase the political cost of disrespecting democracy.

Let the coverage begin...

Prorogation protest set to move to streets

As of Friday evening, the group had more than 210,000 members, which is more than the total Facebook supporters of the four major party leaders.

However, organizer Shilo Davis claimed that there are also 4,000 volunteers across the country "doing the real work," although she credited Facebook for the initial effort...

"Eventually Canadians have to say enough is enough," said Davis. "There is no legitimate reason to prorogue Parliament right now. Stephen Harper needs to realize that he, along with every other MP, is accountable to Canadians."

Whether it can be entirely tied to anger over prorogation is unclear, but the Conservatives' poll numbers have dropped to the point where they are statistically tied with the Liberals.

G&M calls for prorogue reform...

This is from tomorrow's editorial at the Globe and Mail. Pretty scathing critique of the PM and his antics. I'll just pick out a few juicy quotes.

Time to stand up for Parliament

The problem is excessive prime ministerial power – and the solution is legislative restraint on prorogation...

The age-old struggle for parliamentary rights against an arbitrary governor was settled long ago... A basic requirement for responsible government in the parliamentary system, where the executive and legislative branches are partly fused, is for the executive to be answerable for its actions to an elected legislature. But a new struggle for parliamentary rights is under way, and this time it is the prime minister who is wielding potentially autocratic powers...

The cumulative result is that the prime minister in this country now threatens to subsume the legislature. The Canadian prime minister wields more power in his or her own right, unchecked by cabinet or Parliament, than the prime ministers of the other major Westminster-style democracies...

The best defence of Parliament against subjugation to prime ministerial whim is, first and foremost, a prime minister who exercises maturity and judgment in parliamentary matters...(the Iggy line? - ed)

It is time the rules governing prorogation changed... It does not violate the principles of the constitution for the House of Commons to control its own schedule. The NDP has already indicated it will pursue legislative means to rein in the prime minister's misuse of prorogation, but MPs of all parties have a responsibility to resist submission, as Junius said, “to arbitrary measures.”

Trouble in Oakville...

Oakville Tory MP Terrence Young held a budget consultation meeting in his riding and was met by a small group of protesters outside the meeting.

Oakville MP’s meeting sticks to the budget: Young would not discuss prorogation of parliament

Young and his staff members kept the meeting firmly focused on budget issues, despite attempts by several members of the audience to question him about the decision of the government to prorogue Parliament.

Questions on the topic were quickly cut off, with questioners told to make an appointment to talk to Young about the issue at another time.

“Somehow this issue has become really huge and I’m not really sure why except there wasn’t much else going on,” Young said...

Yeah, just a bunch of lazy bums with nothing better to do.

“I don’t know why you wouldn’t expect that people would want to say something about this,” argued one man. Another walked out of the meeting after having his comments cut short.

Imagine that, people want to talk about why their Parliament was shuttered. But Young isn't sure why anyone would be upset about that as his party needs time to stack some Senate committees.

A handful of protesters outside the meeting carried signs reading Shamocracy, and flyers were handed out advertising a protest rally scheduled for Saturday at 1 p. m. across from Young’s Kerr Street constituency office.

Nice. Free advertising.

Trouble in Oshawa...

Oshawa residents talk federal budget with Colin Carrie

Mr. Kelly was also quick to chastise Mr. Carrie for his government's decision to prorogue parliament, a sentiment raised several times over the course of the evening.

Prorogation games set to begin...

Unless Stephen Harper backs down and decides to reconvene Parliament, it is expected that all parties will competing for attention in the media. The wild card not mentioned in the article is the No Prorogue movement and the direction it goes after the rallies tomorrow.

Prorogation: Let the games begin
How to win points and influence voters while Parliament is suspended

There will be no official debates, no Question Period, no committee meetings, no discussion of consequence about Canada and its future. But there will be press conferences – a slew of them – as parties aim to seize political advantage while Parliament is suspended...

Stephen Harper's Beatles repertoire...

I hear Harper has a few other Beatles tunes in his repertoire including,

Carry that Weight (after I recalibrate)

Because (I can)

I feel fine (because I'm always right)

Revolution (oops, sorry that was Mike Harris)

Can't buy me love (but I can buy votes with your tax dollars)

Fixing a hole (after I climb out of it)

Don't bother me (you're nothing to me)

The End (of Parliament's supremacy)

Everybody's got something to hide (no Afghan detainees here)

Fool on the hill (he never shows his feelings)

Golden slumbers (until March 3)

Hello, Goodbye (close the door on your way out)

It won't be long (before I get my majority)

It's all too much (so I prorogue)

Good night (see you on March 3)

Got to get you into of my life (or should that be "out")

Misery (parliament sucks)

Money (the fundamentals are sound)

No reply (well, the House is shut down, what do you expect?)

I'm so tired (of any and all opposition)

Let it be (I'm working)

Nowhere man (hope that's not where I end up)

Piggies (stirring up the dirt)

Taxman (HST? you ain't seen nothing yet)

Wait (until March 3)

We can work it out (if you do what I tell you)

You can't do that (resume Parliament)

Please please me (sung to the conservative caucus)

The long and winding road (to a majority government)

Help! (I don't appreciate you being 'round)

Her Majesty (prorogue please)

I'm looking through you (because you don't matter)

I'm down (I just might have to move out of 24 Sussex)

And here are one that he only sings in the shower:

I'm a loser (but don't tell Leanne)

Conservative trained seals or kindergarden students?

Why so glum?

From Jane Taber's Ottawa Notebook at the Globe & Mail (with my snarky comments).

PM hails accomplishments on eve of protests

Addressing his caucus on the eve of his party’s fourth anniversary of winning government, the Prime Minister said the “international economy remains fragile.”

Last year, Harper prorogued parliament because the opposition were about to bring down the government for its rosy view that "all the fundamentals were strong". This year, he prorogued to work on the economy without the noise of Parliament to distract.

It is not usual that reporters are allowed into a caucus meeting but for so many reasons today – to show the Tories are at work, despite the prorogation controversy and to celebrate their fourth anniversary – the press was able to cover the Prime Minister’s opening remarks.

What transparency! But I don't suppose they were able to ask questions. Might as well just hand them a copy of his speech but Harper wanted to show just how united his caucus is.

His address sounded much like an election stump speech as his troops gave him standing ovation after standing ovation...

Before cameras were allowed in, national caucus chairman Guy Lauzon was overheard giving directions to his caucus members, warning them to “be on their best behaviour” and to cover up any sensitive documents so that they don’t end up on the “front page of The Globe and Mail.”

He also told his caucus colleagues to stand up, clap and show the Prime Minister a “warm welcome” when he entered the room.

Well, at least they're accorded the same level of respect as elementary school students. Better than the disdain with which he treats the rest of Canada's elected MPs who have had school unceremoniously cancelled.

Edited to add: Then there's this from the Vancouver Sun,

In his remarks, Harper said nothing about his decision to prorogue Parliament until March rather than have MPs return to the House of Commons Monday.

Zerbasias: Harper sinking fast

If this blog had a "quote of the day", this would be it from Antonia Zerbasias,

Harper is sinking faster than the flora and fauna around Alberta's tarsands.

Canadians can win at numbers game

Test your contitutional knowledge...

Helen Forsey, daughter of constitutional expert Eugene Forsey pulled together a very useful list of the top 10 constitutional "fairy tales" almost a year ago but it's worth repeating. The article doesn't touch on how politicians are elected, just what their Constitutional obligations are once they form a Parliament.

I've listed the myths. Check the story for the answers. Test your constitutional knowledge.

Eugene Forsey Takes On "Constitutional Fairy Tales"

Fairy tale #1: that the possibility of the House of Commons voting non-confidence and defeating the government creates a "constitutional crisis."

Fairy tale #2: that if the Opposition actively opposes the government's program, Parliament is "not working," is "dysfunctional."

Fairy tale #3: that if a minority government meets active opposition in the House of Commons, with the possibility of being defeated in a confidence vote, then the nation's business is at a standstill and a new election is necessary.

Fairy tale #4: that if a government is defeated in the House of Commons on a matter of confidence, this automatically means a fresh election.

Fairy tale #5: that such a change of government by majority vote in a duly elected Parliament is undemocratic, a "seizure of power" or a "coup."

Fairy Tale #6: that the imminent prospect of a non-confidence vote justifies the shutting down of Parliament through prorogation or dissolution.

Fairy tale #7: that if a non-confidence vote is imminent, the Governor General should grant a Prime Minister's request to prorogue Parliament or dissolve it and hold an election.

Fairy tale #8: that the passage of three and a half calendar months since the October 2008 election means that a fresh election call now would be justified.

Fairy tale #9: that minority governments cannot provide stability or good government, that "stability" and "efficiency" are the highest political values, and that therefore that the purpose of elections is to produce a majority government.

Fairy tale #10: that a coalition cannot legitimately govern unless the parties explicitly campaigned as a coalition in the preceding election.

Bob Rae: "He prorogues"

No Prorogue Demo - Toronto @ CD Howe Institute

PM meets CD Howe - Protestors meet PM

On less than one day's notice, about 60 people showed up at 2:00 on Wednesday to greet PM Stephen Harper on his way into a meeting at the CD Howe Institute on Yonge Street in downtown Toronto. The spirited group of democrats made their their point loud and clear. A small contingent of media were on hand for the action.

Let's try and imagine the conversation at Harper's meeting with the CD Howe Institute today.

Backround din - "Get back to work. Pro-democracy - not pro-ro-gation etc."
PM: Do you think I screwed up with this prorogation thing?
CD: You're late. Here's our draft of your upcoming budget.
PM: It would be worse, wouldn't it, if I had reconvened Parliament next week?
CD: Parlia-what? Look Steve, are we going to talk about the budget or not? There are some huge opportunities for some game changers here.
PM: Look guys, I'm under some pressure here.
CD: (sneers) Pressure! Did you look over our list of your new Senators? Did you email them over to Rideau Hall yet?
PM: Not yet. (pause) I think I'm going to need a lawyer for this Afghanistan detainee mess. I should have never listened to Cheney. He told me no one would ever find out, and if they did, they wouldn't care.
CD: It's not Dick's fault that Colvin's got a big mouth. Anyway, Canadian values are changing. Torture has lost a lot of its stigma. Relax and stay focused.
PM: What about the protests on Saturday?
CD: What protests?
PM: You know, that facebook email thingy. The 200,000 pissed off people?
CD: What the fuck are you talking about? What the hell is a bookface thingy? Can you prorogue it?
PM: I'm afraid not. They've already got 50 rallies planned although I doubt all 200,00 will show up since some of them are ours. But it's just too big. Our people keep getting called gnomes.

CD: Gnomes?

PM: Gnomes. Or maybe it was trolls? All kinds of nasty names. We're just trying to tell these people how wrong they are and how bad Chretien was. Half the time we can't understand what they're talking about.
CD: What do they want?
PM: They want me to recall Parliament?
CD: (Laughing) That's a good one. You're not considering it are you?
PM: CD. I've got to keep my options open. (snickers) Of course not.
CD: So when are we going to finalize the budget?
PM: Well, I should show it to Jim first.
CD: Don't get bogged down in process. There's some very important initiatives that are going to change the game in ways we never thought possible just 2 years ago.
PM: Like what?
CD: You'll see.
PM: You know I don't like surprises CD.
CD: They're game changers Steve.
PM: What about the opposition?
CD: Nobody wants an election. Nooooobody (a la Mel Lastman) Least of all, the opposition. You'll want to pass this budget Steve. Just stay focused.
PM: What about these rallies?
CD: Just say that everyone, even radical nutjob dupes of the liberal party, the socialists and the separatists, has a right to protest.
PM: And that I've got a right to ignore them? Right?
CD: We've been waiting a long time for this kind of a budget. Don't fuck it up.
PM: No big surprises?
CD: You're going to like it. Canada's economy will have the SH monogram on it for generations to come. Now get back to work.

Yes we care....

CAPP more popular than party leaders combined...

David Eaves, a public-policy entrepreneur, open government activist and negotiation expert based in Vancouver has published another article about the use of Facebook in political organizing. There was a (not completely scientific) poll conducted among the CAPP facebook group membership which revealed a few "surprises".

Anti-prorogation activists: engaged, voting and older

• just under half of those who completed the survey were 45 years of age or older. Thirty-four per cent were aged 31 to 44 and 16 per cent answered that they were aged 18 to 30. Not a single person who opted to take the survey was aged 12 to 18
• 96 per cent of the participants said they voted in the last federal election
  
• when asked why they joined, just over half (53 per cent) of respondents indicated it was because “proroguing parliament is undemocratic” and another 33 per cent said it was because “Parliament needs to investigate the Afghan detainee matter."
• Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament has signed up twice the number of Facebook members than all the political leaders combined (Conservatives 29,616; Liberals 28,898; NDP 27,713; Bloc 4,020; for a collective total of 90,247 fans)

Globe & Mail Cartoon

Credit to Globe & Mail

Layton calls for prorogue reform...

The new politics of an empowered Parliament

today I am announcing that the New Democrats will bring proposals and legislation to limit the power of prorogation so that the Prime Minister cannot abuse it.

The government should only prorogue Parliament on a vote in the House of Commons.

I agree with this. It was proposed last week by Prof. Andrew Heard in BC and makes a lot of sense.

Hopefully we'll be hearing more concrete suggestions in the future about "new politics". I don't see anything in there in reference to the challenge from Fair Vote Canada to move "post-haste" to work with the other parties to amend the Canada Elections Act and implement a new electoral system based on "equal and effective" votes and proportional representation.

Ignatieff: PM doesn't understand democracy

And in the "pot calling the kettle black" category...

PM 'gambled wrong' on prorogation, Michael Ignatieff says

Michael Ignatieff accused Stephen Harper today of not understanding democracy, saying the Prime Minister “gambled wrong” by shutting down Parliament.

“We have a government, we have a Prime Minister who does not understand, … does not have in his conscience, does not have in his conviction, an understanding that a prime minister is responsible to Parliament, accountable to Parliament –and it’s not the other way around,” the Liberal Leader said as he wrapped up a two-day winter caucus meeting.

True, Iggy has identified the type of abuse that prorogation represents, accountability to Parliament. However, Iggy is very short on ideas when it comes to addressing and overcoming Canada's democratic deficit. There is no response to Fair Vote Canada's challenge last week to reform Canada's electoral system. The only possible glimmer of hope that the some Liberals are starting to "get it" might be discerned from this comment.

Mr. Ignatieff added, too, that he wants to wipe from the Liberal vocabulary the phrase “natural governing party.”

Perhaps he's listening to what he wants from John Deverell's "fantasy", published on rabble.ca and reprinted in another post below - Canada goes democratic in 2010?

"Confession Two," he goes on. " I was persuaded to quit Harvard and come home by Liberals who imagined we were still the natural governing party. I saw a quick short-cut to the Prime Minister's office. I parked my advocacy of secular democratic government and chased the dream of undemocratic power.

"Confession Three," he smiles humbly. "I was deluded. It turns out my recruiters couldn't count noses. I've been getting my butt kicked. The House of Commons is deadlocked. The country faces decades of government by a party most Canadians don't trust and can't control. Something's got to change.

A lot more than terminology but maybe it's a start?

Some more reasons to care about prorogation...

From Carol Goar at the Toronto Star

Parliament is broken, not worthless

Since Harper was first elected four years ago, he has systematically silenced inconvenient voices. He began with his own MPs and cabinet ministers – they can no longer speak without authorization. Next, he shut down parliamentary committees. Then he fired or cut short the mandates of independent public watchdogs. Then he turned on public servants who tried to sound the alarm. And now he has prorogued Parliament twice.

If you think this slide toward one-man government is fine, a shuttered Parliament is no problem. If want to preserve the fragile safeguards that remain, it is.

The stakes go beyond the here-and-now, beyond Harper's political tactics, beyond the ill-tempered, unproductive wrangling in the House of Commons.

If Parliament loses its legitimacy, your children and their children will have no institution capable of reining in an autocratic leader or a government that is out of control.

Prorogue poetry contest...

Too bad I just saw this now because I think the deadline passed but you may want to buy the book.

Publisher seeks poetic protests

Toronto publishing house Mansfield Press will publish an anthology of verse in a poetic protest of Stephen Harper's prorogation of Parliament, and it has invited the public to aim its pens at the Prime Minister's Office. Rogue Stimulus: The Stephen Harper Holiday Anthology for a Prorogued Parliament will appear on shelves on March 3, the day federal politicians are scheduled to reconvene in Ottawa...

"I really despised Chretien for the same reasons I now despise Harper. Both politicians really don't have respect for the electorate," he said.

Canada goes democratic in 2010?

John Deverell is Treasurer of Fair Vote Canada, the multi-partisan campaign for voting reform. He's an author, journalist and former president of the Southern Ontario Newsmedia Guild CEP Local 87. Reprinted from from rabble.ca.

Canada goes democratic in 2010: A fevered fantasy?

Imagine the Canadians Against Proroguing rally next Saturday and there, gazing from a chilly platform over a crowd of university students sprinkled with older folk, stands Michael Ignatieff.

In parka, Sorels and toque the beleaguered Liberal leader looks warm enough to think clearly. He has no notes, no teleprompter.

"My fellow Canadians," Ignatieff begins, "I have some confessions to make. I'm here to ask your forgiveness and understanding and to make some new commitments."

"Today we're protesting Stephen Harper's sudden decision to kill off the last Parliament for a couple of months, but we've got more on our minds.

"The House of Commons was in deep democratic deficit when the Prime Minister put it to sleep. It will be just as undemocratic when it comes back. Whether that's Jan, 25 or March 3 doesn't much matter.

"Confession One," he continues. "Liberals bear a big responsibility for Canada's democratic deficit. My party governed for most of the past century. We never had majority public support in any election. We dined out on that undemocratic voting system.

"Confession Two," he goes on. " I was persuaded to quit Harvard and come home by Liberals who imagined we were still the natural governing party. I saw a quick short-cut to the Prime Minister's office. I parked my advocacy of secular democratic government and chased the dream of undemocratic power.

"Confession Three," he smiles humbly. "I was deluded. It turns out my recruiters couldn't count noses. I've been getting my butt kicked. The House of Commons is deadlocked. The country faces decades of government by a party most Canadians don't trust and can't control. Something's got to change.

"As Liberal leader I now invite the other parties to join me in an immediate rewrite of the Canada Elections Act. The Liberal goal is to assure every adult citizen an equal effective vote and equal representation in the House of Commons.

"Despite what you're thinking, I'm not the first Liberal to have these thoughts. Equal representation is what Pierre Trudeau foresaw with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and its guarantee of equal treatment under the law. It's where Jean Chretien was leaning when he provided new public funding for political parties based strictly on their popular vote. It's what Paul Martin saw coming when he promised to attack Canada's democratic deficit.

"Bringing that Liberal tradition up to date, I promise that any government led by Michael Ignatieff will bring democratic voting and equal representation to every Canadian.

"Democratic reform will mean, among other things, fair representation for Liberals in Alberta, for New Democrats in Saskatchewan, for Conservatives in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, and for supporters of all the federal parties in Quebec.

"The Liberal Party concedes that "winner-take-all" elections usually leave half the voters or more in each riding with no voice in Parliament. That is simply undemocratic. It's wrong. We've got to change it.

Ignatieff is now warming to his theme, and a mischievous glint comes into his eyes.

"I further promise that the Liberal Party will not quibble, obfuscate or delay the achievement of fair voting and equal representation," he declares. " I invite Jack Layton and Elizabeth May to agree on the main features of a new voting system. We in the Liberal Party will join whatever consensus they reach. I further challenge the Bloc Quebecois and the Conservative Party to match this Liberal commitment. Let all the parties agree to make democratic voting the law of Canada during the next session of Parliament."

He pauses thoughtfully. "It is quite possible, of course, that Stephen Harper and Gilles Duceppe do not want Canada to have democratic voting. We may have to change the law without their help.

"Today I invite Jack Layton and Elizabeth May to arrange with me, before the next election, a temporary alliance," Ignatieff says. "We need enough riding-by-riding saw-offs to produce a clear House of Commons majority of Liberals, New Democrats and Greens committed to a previously agreed voting reform.

Turning straight to a camera, Ignatieff delivers his final flourish. "Canadians here and everywhere: if you want reform, insist on the electoral alliance. It's the only way you'll ever get democratic voting.

As Ignatieff sits down the crowd, initially stunned into silence, gradually breaks into applause and then loud chants of "Go, Iggy, Go."

The student chair whispers in his ear: "Fantastic, but where the hell did that come from?"

"Well," Ignatieff whispers back "we showed the Americans medicare and they're finally starting to get it. Now we have to show them democracy. They need it even more than we do."