Straying so far from his Reform Party roots, Harper has hit new records for hypocrisy in Canadian politics. Proroguing parliament to avoid an inquiry, allowing an unelected senate to kill legislation and stripping the opposition parties of their funding all occurred during his minority rule.
PM wanted to do most damage to opponents by cutting political donations, opposition MPs say
Ottawa (2 Dec 2011) - Newly-released government accounts showing the scope of a generous tax benefit for donations to political parties are evidence, opposition MPs say, Prime Minister Stephen Harper was targeting the opposition parties when he selected outright vote subsidies for the chopping block instead of other forms of taxpayer support.
Harper is no longer concerned about building a Canadian consensus
Ottawa (28 November 2011) - Quebec turned its electoral back on Conservatives and Harper is merely returning the favour. Since the Conservatives formed a majority without Quebec, Harper has quickly thrown off any vestige of his former feigned interest in reaching out.
Tories relent after opposition parties filibuster on mega-crime bill in House Justice Committee
Ottawa (18 November 2011) - Stiff government limits on debate in Parliament that NDP MP Martin claims stirred him into cursing on Twitter spread into the Commons Justice Committee Thursday, where the Conservative majority took opposition MPs by surprise with a sudden motion to end detailed study of a controversial mega-crime bill by midnight.
Senate kills Climate Change Accountability Act
Ottawa (17 November 2010) - 'Stephen Harper has done what he always promised never to do – use unelected officials to counter the will of Parliament and the Canadian public.' - Graham Saul.
Rick Mercer Rant
Canadian comedian, Rick Mercer, talks about the hypocrisy of Harper allowing an unelected senate kill this climate bill.
Legislating workers back to work creates bad labour relations: CFLR
Ottawa (21 June 2011) - “Short-term coercive fixes do not create the conditions for developing long-term solutions to the challenges facing Canadian workers and employers.” CFLR Board Member Judy Fudge.
Canadian Civil Liberties Association to Labour Minister: back-to-work legislation undermines collective bargaining
Ottawa (17 June 2011) - The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) has written to the Minister of Labour urging her to reconsider the proposal to introduce legislation that would force striking workers at Canada Post (and previously Air Canada, before a settlement was reached on June 16) back-to-work.
Rallies Saturday against prorogation of Parliament
Ottawa (21 January 2010) - Facebook group now has more than 200,000 members and protests are being planned in cities across Canada.
Canadians deliver Harper a cold winter message
Ottawa (24 Jan. 2010) - Thousands take to the streets across Canada and beyond in the coldest part of the Canadian winter to protest the prime minister's autocratic and partisan closure of Parliament.
Stephen Harper's bogus democracy
Ottawa (3 Dec. 2008) - Life doesn't often get more interesting than this. The Harper government introduced a so-called economic update that amounts to a vindictive attack on unions, on the opposition parties, on democracy itself; an economic statement that had no valid economics in it.
