Proroguing Parliament is undemocratic

 
Stephen Harper has created a tool for governments to undermine our parliamentary democracy.  Yes, it all started back in December, 2008, when Harper got the governor-general to agree to prorogue Parliament to avoid a non-confidence vote that would have defeated his minority government. Two months later with the Opposition coalition crumbling Parliament resumed.

It worked so well that in 2009 Harper did it again to avoid answering to the Opposition about abuse of Afghan detainees.  If it works in Ottawa then why not in the provincial legislatures.  So this fall  BC Premier Christy Clark also prorogued the BC legislature to avoid being questioned by the Opposition. 

So it's no surprise that Dalton McGuinty's final act as premier was to also prorogue the Ontario legislature to protect his shaky government from answering questions regarding two cancelled gas plants.

Proroguing Parliament has always been a mechanism for a government to end a legislative session during a mandate in order to refocus their agenda.  The government would then announce their new agenda in a Throne Speech.  That is clearly not the intent of the Ontario Liberals.  The intent is to avoid the legislature. 

So essentially the Liberals will govern for several months without having to answer to the Opposition which also happens to hold a majority of seats.  Now they will not be able to pass any new legislation while the legislature is not sitting.  But Ministers can operate within existing legislation without being questioned.  If the Minister of Health wants to cut hospital budgets she can without be challenged in the House.  If the Minister of Transportation decides to cut back on transport truck inspections he can do so without being challenged in the House.

Now that the genie is out of the bottle, there is no telling how future prime ministers and premiers will wield this new tool.  All I know is that when it gets too hot in the kitchen, governments will be shutting down the kitchen.