This country is now effectively a dictatorship. The December 30th putsch against parliament, orchestrated by our great ruler, is now a fact for the history books. Did you ever think you'll go to bed on the 29th of December in a democracy and wake up the next day in a dictatorship? Yes, while you slept snugly, representative government slipped away, overnight like a thief in the dark.
Henceforth, and as a result of this thievery by stealth, we are now living in a land without any functioning legislature and a non -existent opposition. A one- party state Soviets style has found new life and adepts in Ottawa. All the power is now in the hands of one great leader and his sycophants. But like I have written in previous posts, not everyone in his party, privately at least, is a happy smiling- faced camper, like our great leader. Have you noticed he’s not smiling so much anymore?
Of course there’s growing dissent within the ruling inner sanctum. That always happens after coups. The coup- plotters start to plot to overthrow each-other. Then things get really ugly like they’re getting now...
Even inside the Canadian Kremlin not everyone in the great leader’s politburo is pleased with their ruler. Why you ask? Well, the economy continues to slide; the war in Afghanistan is no garden tea party either. The deficit hole widens. Taxes rise, jobs vanish and the middle- class, is heading for oblivion as we wait for the next cabinet re-shuffle. No matter how much power the great ruler concentrates in his hands, he still can’t change these sobering realities. The economy depends on some signs of life in the U.S and not on him.
The war’s outcome does not depend on omnipotent ruler either, but on the terms of an agreement our NATO allies (or much more significant coalition partners, mainly the U.S and the U.K) will inevitably have to negotiate with the enemy (The Taliban), in order to stabilize that hell-hole of a country, and prevent the war from engulfing Pakistan as well (which unlike Iran, thanks to western power complicity is a nuclear state already). Some sort of a negotiated settlement (political deal) is the only solution to this war. That’s what a top U.S former-foreign policy advisor told me recently, in an exclusive interview.
So there’s very little our great leader can do to change things either on the home front or foreign front. The only things he can do, is act like a poorly- dressed version of Robert Mugabe ; try suppressing growing dissent in the country to his rule, while at the same time, smother the rumblings of discontent within his disintegrating party. In the post- coup period, the country is in a grass roots insurgency mode. Civil society, the term used when people from the former Soviet bloc rose up against one- party domination, has finally come to Canada. It’s like 1989 all over again, but this time its home-grown and not an import. People by means of our nosy friends at "Facebook", are waking up after a long and perhaps self induced slumber. The hibernation is over. They will gather in cities all across our land to show their support for the parliamentary process and multi- party democracy.
The people don’t want a banana republic without bananas, or a third- world state with lousy crumbling infrastructure and an inadequate under funded, housing, education and health care system. They don’t want gangs of thuggish corrupt, venal and well- dressed, corporate goons running this country. They want to be heard, represented (not by lobbyists speaking on their behalf). They want responsible government respectful not contemptible of parliament or politicians acting above and beyond the rule of law. They want accountability as much as they seek safety and security. They want to live in a prosperous, vibrant democracy not a Siberian gulag. Look at Ukraine . It's run by a collection of rich billionaire "robber- barons" and power hungry demagogues. That’s where we're all headed, if we don’t take back what we've lost and make government work for the citizenry (voter and taxpayer) again.
The first step to stop the rot on "the hill", is to revoke the prorogation. Then re-open parliament without delay, next week, as was supposed to be the case. The next step is for this government and its great leader to immediately tender its wholesale resignation. On what grounds? For egregiously and wantonly abusing (while being a less than legitimate minority government) executive power. For unduly and perhaps unconstitutionally as well (let the legal experts decide) proroguing parliament three times in a row. But this time amidst a great national (economic and foreign policy-war) crisis. Then an interim government should be appointed, by parliament after an all party consensus is reached, which would govern until an early election is held (as soon as possible that is). This will hopefully bring in an opposition majority government to power. Dare I say, Liberal, under Bob Rea? Or one which is respectful of parliament and the will of the people. This is the only way it seems, to restore our suspended democracy and make our country great again. Such actions can't be postponed, delayed or prorogued. Are we waiting for Robert Mugabe to send a telegram praising our great leader, for his recent anti-democratic exploits?
If so then it's time to move to Zimbabwe at least it's warmer there than here in winter.
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