So the Conservative government has chosen to commit suicide by calling a Fall vote on whether some Canadians should be less Canadians than other Canadians. Why would they do such a thing? Is it because they are dumb as well as evil? Oh no, Prime Minister Bush... er.. Harper, is smart and evil.
1) The vote will fail, and everybody knows it.
2) Harper is hoping the vote triggers a non-confidence motion, which will be successful and bring down his own government.
3) An election will be called before the Liberals' Leadership Convention in December. As this is scheduled to be a Coronation of the next Prime Minister, forcing a vote before the Coronation will catch the Grits off-guard.
4) Anger (at the Liberals bringing down the freshman cabinet) at such an early election before the Liberals have a chance to rebrand at the convention will result in the same minority government numbers, and give the Conservatives another year in power, at a cost of only $150M of tax payer's money for the election.
I'd do it, if I were their head spin-meister. Here's what I'd do if I were the Liberals.
1) Defeat the idiotic, medieval and mean-spirited vote.
2) Call the non-confidence vote
3) Whip the benches into abstaining from the non-confidence vote you just called.
4) The vote will fail, the Tories will be in power until December, and utterly, utterly humiliated.
5) Have the leadership convention in December
6) 30 seconds after the new leader is chosen – and seriously, who cares who it is, a frozen low-cal entree in a cardboard box would win a majority – call a non-confidence motion on the basis that the current government isn't Liberal, which is against the natural order of all things Canadian.
7) Motion passes, election called, Frozen Entree is sworn in as Liberal Prime Minister for the next 15 years, and we're back to normal.
[Don't like me calling an anti-gay marriage bill evil? One cannot reasonably be in favour of marriage and then exclude adult citizens from entering such an institution on the basis of who they are – it's exactly the same as denying green-eyed persons the right to own property, or keeping the left-handed from having passports. Evil, and I won't call it less.]
Friday, June 02, 2006
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9 comments:
Personally I am sick and tired of the on again off again status of same-sex marriages. The Liberals finally made significant headway into allowing society to move past this seemingly obvious amendment required to Canada's laws. Now that we have stick-up-my-butt-didn't-freaking-vote-for-you Harper stirring it up again because his archaic-medieval-can't-spell-my-own-name buddy Bush is pushing to actually have it banned (a backwards evolutionary step if I've ever seen one) in the US. Perhaps his time would be better spent, oh say, educating his own citizens or figuring out how to get them basic medical attention or perhaps, finding out how to get them to stop shooting each other, or hey, how about losing a few pounds? We were told that Harper would be a Bush sicophant, and here we are.
Since over 50% of Canadians support gay marriages, why don't we spend the money on allowing the people (hello remember us?) to settle this issue once and for all?
Democracy anyone?
Cleansing breathe, relax...and I'm back.
Peace
Shawn
As an American, I am now offended.
Not all of us Americans are uneducated, overweight, and so quick to shoot our neighbors.
But I forgive ya. :)
Yes, Shawn did paint America with a pretty broad brush back there.
I had hoped this issue would disappear once and for all, but I can't say I'm surprised.When he first mused about another vote than Prime Minister hopeful Mr. Harper promised it as a part of his election platform and I guess he wants to make it a clean sweep by keeping his election promises no matter how mis-directed.
Now personally this entire fall vote is one of the reasons that despite being a "Small C" conservative, I have never really supported Mr. Harper as leader of the party or prime minister for that matter. But, it appears the dice have been cast one way the other and here we go again.
As for democracy at least in Canada, remember you only get it for 12 hours once every 4 or so when and if you vote. After that you have to depend on the (insert name here) you sent to Ottawa to "represent" your needs.
At least it's a free vote, what ever that means.
Liberal "Prime Minister Frozen Entree" is what it means.
I must remind you that many Liberals are opposed to same-sex marriage. Many of them are supporting Michael Ignatieff, who is morally and intellectually bankrupt. I must remind you that this is a non-binding RESOLUTION to introduce a bill. The government can't fall. The Conervatives are trying to sow dissention in the Liberal ranks, to hold onto power. Remember that the bill to extend our mission in Afghanistan was passed only by a split in the Liberal caucus.
As much as I really don't care about gay marriage (there are many more important issues out there), this retrograde bill on a previous decision is atrocious.
One thing that is often ignored in the "same sex marriage" issue is the fact that either:
a) Marriage is nothing more than a civilly recognised union and as such must be equally available to all citizens... OR
b) Marriage is a Holy Sacrament, instituted by God, and therefore the State should butt out.
I happen to hold the latter position: I like to shock friends by telling them that I'm totally opposed to State-sanctioned gay marriage. After a brief pause I tell them that I'm also opposed to State-sanctioned straight marriage. If the State can tell me to whom I may administer the sacrament of Matrimony, what's next? Telling me to whom I may give communion or grant absolution?
Amen, bruddah. Can you imagine waiting in line at the State Sacrament Bureau for your Unction forms?
As a queer man I don't find the anti same-sex marriage legislation evil, I find marriage evil. Only a self-loathing queer man would buy into a failed institution created to perpetuate straight-male domination over everything from women, heirs, morality and mortality. It's a sign of self-hate playing itself out through assocition with heterosexist "norms". Last time I checked queers were still queers. We're creative enough to demand better legally, and we have already created a more beautiful and enduring bond spiritually.
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