“Snap!” Do you know what that sound was? It was the last straw breaking regarding any affinity that I might have had with the current government. I've had enough.
When I was a young man in university, I was a card carrying member of the Progressive Conservatives (as they were then called). I think I did so because I had grown up surrounded by Tories and that was the party everyone voted for. Since then my vote has gone to every one of various national parties depending on factors such as leadership, policies important to me, and job performance in Ottawa. However, Stephen Harper's government has created extreme concern for me that makes it impossible for me to vote for them.
The extent that this government has shown blatant disregard for democracy and transparency is bringing dishonour to our Parliament, and it must not continue. The following things in particular really disturb me:
· Proroguing Parliament purely for political survival – that's an incredibly dangerous floodgate to open;
· The Oda “Not” Affair – having followed this matter closely since the beginning, there is little doubt in my mind that Kairos was denied funding for political reasons. The professionals at CIDA advised that Kairos programming met its requirements and recommended funding only to have Minister Oda decide otherwise . . . and then lie about the reasons and lie about the process;
· Claiming that they did not want an election when they have been running campaign style ads (including attack ads) for months and they created a budget that the opposition parties could not accept (and every political analyst I have heard indicated that it was a budget designed to unacceptable to the opposition); and
· Being found in contempt of Parliament. This is no little thing. The government was to provide information necessary to inform the citizens of Canada as to the cost of their justice initiatives and plane purchases, and they refused to do so. And then Mr. Harper has the audacity to characterize this indictment of his government as a technicality.
I hope that Canadians can see through the government rhetoric and band together to make a change in Ottawa.
Sean Krausert
Wild Rose Constituent
Canmore, Alta.
