Democracy: Lessons from the Commonwealth

There is much the Con-Dem government can learn form the Commonwealth. Yes, lessons in Democracy.

CBC News, Canada:

Governor General agrees to suspend Parliament until January

December 4, 2008 

Decision gives Tories reprieve, thwarts imminent attempt to topple government.

 

Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean has granted a request from Prime Minister Stephen Harper to suspend Parliament until late next month, a move that avoids a confidence vote set for Monday that could have toppled his minority government.

 

Again:

Harper to shut down Parliament

DANIEL LEBLANC

Ottawa— From Thursday's Globe and Mail

Dec. 30, 2009

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has shut down Parliament for two months, killing a pesky inquiry into Afghan detainees, stalling government bills and allowing the Conservatives to take control of the Senate.

Mr. Harper called Governor-General Michaëlle Jean yesterday morning to ask her to give a Speech from the Throne on March 3 – delaying Parliament's return by 22 sitting days – and allowing the government to table a budget on March 4.

Walk & Chew Gum:

CANADIAN ministers, it seems, are a bunch of Gerald Fords. Like the American president, who could not walk and chew gum at the same time, they cannot, apparently, cope with Parliament’s deliberations while dealing with the country’s economic troubles and the challenge of hosting the Winter Olympic games.

Mr Harper is a competent tactician with a ruthless streak. He bars most ministers from talking to the media; he has axed some independent watchdogs; he has binned campaign promises to make government more open and accountable. Now he is subjecting Parliament to prime-ministerial whim. He may be right that most Canadians care more about the luge than the legislature, but that is surely true only while their decent system of government is in good hands. They may soon conclude that it isn’t.

He won the election with an overwhelming majority!

 

Elsewhere:

The Independent:

The most scandal-ridden government ever known?

Friday, 25 March 2011

The Labor government of Australia's largest and most populous state is facing an epic defeat after 16 years in power, following a string of scandals possibly unrivalled in the Western world.

Corruption, pornography, drugs, gay sex romps, marital infidelity – the government of New South Wales (NSW) has had them all, and more, in the past two years alone. Now long-suffering voters are determined to wreak revenge, and not even a photogenic premier related to a Booker prize-winning author will be enough to save Labor from its worst post-war electoral drubbing.

No matter: voters would rather elect a stuffed monkey than endure another five years of Labor sleaze and incompetence.

 She shut down Parliament two months early so that the upper house could not investigate her government on the matter of the Government's power sell-off.

Wagner warned the Germans and the rest of the world a long time ago:

The dark side of the gods: (it is sometimes easier if one take GODS in the Ring to mean those in POWER. For the characters read here.) In fact, the gods need not work at all, the Nibelungs work almost all the time.

Disrespectful
Born liars

Contemptuous

Thieving & Misappropriation 

Incest and other illicit sex
Homicidal

Greed, greed, greed!