Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Sunday, June 03, 2012

Budget sparks Halifax rally

An “omnibus budget bill” may not sound like it has the power to spark deep emotions or mass revolt, but participants in a nationwide protest against Bill C-38 Saturday were hoping their voices would help do just that.

About 50 people marched to the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market from the north end of the city to speak out against Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s budget bill, which has prompted widespread criticism from many political stripes.

The bill transcends the usual budgetary matters and instead amends, repeals or enacts more than 60 laws affecting everything from fisheries to employment insurance.

The Halifax protest was one of more than 50 similar events taking place across Canada.

“I’m really concerned about the Conservatives’ policies and the way they’re going about getting them enacted into law,” said Meredith Clayden, who joined the protest in Halifax.

“They’re so sweeping, particularly with this budget bill. I don’t think that’s a good way to pass legislation. I think it needs to be more transparent and split up.

“But I also am worried that Canadians aren’t upset enough. We need to take charge of our future and maintain the democracy that we have instead of being apathetic and letting it be eroded.”

Among other changes, the bill would raise the qualifying age for Old Age Security benefits, make major alterations to employment insurance, remove habitat protection from the Fisheries Act and institute a border security deal with the United States.

Chris Majka, a member of the electoral reform advocacy group Project Democracy, said the bill’s passage would degrade the foundations of Canadian democracy.

“One of the things we’re really concerned with is abuse of process,” he told the group of protesters.

“Aside from all of the terrible things that are in Bill C-38, the notion of trying to wrap this enormous number of legislation in one enormous bill is a dreadful thing to do in and of itself.

“If we lose the independence of Parliament, the watchdog role of Parliament, the ability of parliamentarians to intelligently and adequately oversee our legislation, we’ve really lost every-thing.”

Though protesters in Halifax began their march at Megan Leslie’s office on Gottingen Street to show support for the NDP MP’s vocal opposition to the bill, other groups in Canada protested outside their Conservative MPs’ offices to encourage them to vote against the bill.

Cate May Burton, who helped organize the rally in Halifax, said she’s hopeful the countrywide protest will result in the bill’s defeat.

“Harper’s PMO staff and the way he manages the Conservative party is pretty entrenched and they don’t seem to respond to public pressure the way governments have in Canadian history,” said Burton.

“But nonetheless, we have to hope that this movement of public concern will spark individual Conservative members to really stand up for the interests of Canadians over their own party interests.

Burton is a University of King’s College student who is also the daughter of Green Party Leader and MP Elizabeth May.

When the group of protesters in Halifax arrived at the farmers market, a security officer informed them that they were not permitted to march outside the building and promptly called the police, Burton said. The group moved away from the building to avoid conflict when police arrived.

The nationwide protest against Bill C-38 will continue on Monday, when hundreds of organizations, businesses, political parties and individuals, including the Assembly of First Nations, the Liberal Party of Canada, the Canadian Association of University Teachers, Margaret Atwood and Bruce Cockburn, will darken their websites in an online protest called Black Out Speak Out.

Original Article
Source:the chronicle herald
Author: FRANCES WILLICK

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