Unlike the Pope, the Governor General is not infallible. So apologists have surfaced in the media recently to defend Michaelle Jean's decisions on the prorogation of Parliament in 2008, and most recently just a few weeks back.
Just about 203,000 people have now joined the FaceBook site - Canadians Against the Prorogation of Parliament - But reality suggests that nature's twist of faith over the Governor General's own homeland: Haiti, has more or less knocked the wind out of the usefulness of protest against the Prime Minister's strong-handed decision to shut down the House of Commons cause he just pretty much felt like it.
It seems there is something to be said for strong-armed tacticians when it comes to rapid responses to the crisis no one expected; which has plunged the continent's poorest wretched nation into a chaos of despair, death, and in the last few hours anarchy over food and water rations.
In reality no one can criticize the Canadian Government's response to the enormity of the curse which once again has befallen poor Haiti. Mr. Harper's government (pretty much as anyone else would) is taking full credit for the actions which are being taken from our homeland to assist the unfortunate residents of the island nation on Dominica. In my old age, deep in my heart, a certain amount of cynicism (perhaps from far too many years of covering politicians) suggests that it's virtually impossible to dismiss political opportunism and gain as motives for our government's generous response to the crisis in Haiti. Be that as it may; the unfortunate victims of the seismic conflagration that befell Haiti last Tuesday will benefit from our largess regardless of ultimate motive: So who am I to complain?
Canada's crisis response in Haiti, soon to be followed by the glorious halo of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, are likely (once again) to allow Mr. Harper and his blind followers to escape from under the yoke of accountability...but at what cost to Parliamentary Democracy? Perhaps time and the next Federal election will tell.
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