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.]

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Omnnibus Budget Bill C-45 Fastrack: Government Limits Debate To Speed Passage

OTTAWA - Just one week after introducing it, the Conservative government is moving to fast-track its controversial omnibus budget bill.

The House of Commons passed a motion Thursday to impose time allocation on Bill C-45, essentially limiting how long it can be debated by MPs.

"They've introduced a law and then right away they introduce time allocation," interim Liberal leader Bob Rae said after the motion passed.

"I think it's pretty strange and pretty bizarre. I don't find it a normal way to conduct public business to introduce a time allocation bill almost simultaneously with the introduction of the law."

It's the second omnibus bill the Conservatives have introduced to implement last March's budget.

The first mammoth bill last spring triggered an opposition filibuster that brought Parliament to a virtual standstill for several days.

The Conservatives have already agreed to an opposition proposal to let nine House of Commons committees examine different aspects of the 400-plus-page bill, which changes some 60 pieces of legislation.

New Democrat Leader Tom Mulcair had pushed the government to go much further, seeking to split the behemoth bill into 12 separate legislative chunks.

Original Article
Source: huffington post
Author: CP

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