What do we know about Your government? We know that in fact you pay absolutely no attention to the needs and aspirations of the vast majority of Canadian citizens. How do we know this? Because, by effectively closing down any real debate in Parliament and by trying to crush any and all dissent in the country you prove that the only agenda is your agenda.(Meaning the corporate agenda.)

But what is your agenda? This is perhaps more difficult to understand because of course what you are presently doing to Canadians, by and large, was not presented during the election campaign. So we citizens are confronted by a mystery that now has overtones of horror liberally (please excuse the expression) added to it. Personally, although I find it a little underhanded and devious to speak to Canadians about the “massive majority” you now have that allows you total licence to take the nation apart bit by bit and build it in your own image, I believe no government can be tied down to only those issues that are raised in an electoral period. The government must govern in all areas of public need and concern. That being said, the democratic institution upon which government in Canada is founded, and in which we have believed and through which we have flourished as a modern society is something called the Parliamentary Form of Government.

This form of government takes as its basis something that is called “universal suffrage”. Essentially it is a concept that represents the view that all adult citizens of Canada have the right and responsibility to cast a ballot and thereby choose a Member of Parliament that will represent “their interests” in the House of Commons. Now representing their interests implies both knowing their interests and communicating with them about their interests. As Willy Shakespeare said about dreams, “aye there’s the rub”.

We are now presented with a government that has clearly indicated that it really, really does wants to know the views of Canadians. But curiously, they don’t want to know in what Canadians believe. As well, they don’t want to know what Canadians think they need. They don’t even want to know whether the citizens of Canada actually want the avalanche of change that is being foisted upon them through a series of omnibus bills. What they do want to know is: What you are communicating through emails on the internet and what you are saying about the government in commentaries and responses to journalistic writings and reports and finally, what they are most eager to know is who are their real friends (read: enemies).

Now politically speaking, because the Harperites are of a Machiavellian bent, I certainly can’t fault them on their violent course of action which is to close down Parliament by making it both powerless and ineffective. This is a brilliant and successful ruse de guerre where you portray yourself as defenders of the parliamentary system for years by advocating reforms like: theTriple E Senate, referenda and recall and then when elected government with a “huge” majority, you then do precisely the opposite. So now we have the erstwhile defenders of parliament in fact becoming the agents of Parliament’s destruction and demise.

The end of the story would be pretty grim for the citizens of Canada if the Harperites had not misplayed their hand. You see, the challenge of politics is not to dominate and destroy but rather to show leadership and build up. The very public desecration of our precious institution of Parliament is a bridge too far. Canadians are increasingly watching with horror as one by one ill conceived bills are forced through the House of Commons and neither the people of Canada nor their elected representatives are being given the respect due them by those who have the responsibility to care, and by allowing appropriate and fulsome debate on controversial and complex pieces of legislation.

Rather, we have a government totally focused on photo-ops, sneering arrogant public attacks on any who dissent and of course the increased activities in negative advertising and using the police and CSIS to find out who the enemies are and what they are doing and saying. Well as you can see Mr Harper, some of us are not hiding our disagreement and disdain for your government and your (corporate) agenda.We will not be silenced even if you use all the levers of power to get at us. And doubtless as your paid watchers and security forces are informing you, rather than dissent disappearing it is in fact rising every day. Many of us pledge to see this trend continue.

Parliament will live again. Parliament must live again, and your efforts to control and restrict the people of Canada and silence their voice will bring about the downfall of your own government.