I am Canadian (Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament)

On Saturday Jan. 23rd change your facebook, twitter, myspace status to “I’m standing up for Canada today, what are you doing?” It will remind everyone that there’s a rally nearby.

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On December 30th Stephen Harper announced – without consulting anyone – that he will be Proroguing Parliament and suspending democracy until March 3. This is the second time he has done this in under two years.

Proroguing means:

1. All 37 bills being debated in Parliament are thrown in the trash. Discussion on bills starts from scratch in March, wasting months of hard work by all parties. These bills included new crime legislation, limits on credit card insurance rates, etc.

2. Committees investigating accusations of torture of Afghan detainees stop working

3. Discussions and decisions about the pension crisis affecting Canada’s seniors stops

4. Questions about Canada’s inaction at the Copenhagen climate-change summit are silenced. Opportunities to move forward with Canada’s plan for sustainable development are stalled for over a month.

5. Your MPs cannot raise your concerns in Ottawa

Our troops in Afghanistan dont get to take a couple of months off. You don’t either. Why does Harper feel he can?

On January 23rd, 2010 you can stand up and make your voice heard Canada-and tell the government to get back to work.

Links:
No Prorogue
http://noprorogue.ca/events/

Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament (CAPP)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=a…

Facebook Rallies/Protest page
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid…

Original text:
I’m not a polluter, or a torturer,
and I don’t live in cyberspace,
or think that cancer is sexy
or let my country down.
And I don’t misspell Iqaluit, or think that pacifism is
a sign of weakness. I respect our soldiers, that’s why I believe in peacekeeping.

I have a prime minister… no…t a no-show proroguer,
I speak English and French, but can’t understand
why you must shut down parliament.

I can proudly sow my country’s flag on my backpack,
I believe in open discussion, not avoidance,
accountability not cover-ups,
and that Canada is not just worried about the economy .

A lie is a lie,
no matter how wide is your smile,
and it IS not right to prorogue NOW,
not now… not later!!
Canada will show you,
on January 23,
that we CARE.

My name is Javier…
and…I……AM……CANADIAN!
Thank you.

Tags: proroguing

London Rally: Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament

More than 500 Londoners gathered in Victoria Park on Saturday (Jan. 23rd, 2010) to protest Prime Minister Harper’s undemocratic lock-out of the Members of Parliament they elected, by proroguing the House of Commons.
Member of Parliament Irene Mathyssen (NDP, London-Fanshawe) was among the group of community leaders who addressed the crowd.
Other speakers including the London District Labour Council President Patti Dalton, and CAW Local 27 President Tim Carrie (between them, the two labour leaders represent 27,000 unionized Londoners), London-West Liberal Candidate Doug Ferguson and NDP Candidate Peter Ferguson, Elgin-Middlesex-London NDP Candidate Ryan Dolby (both London-West and Elgin-Middlesex ridings are currently represented by Conservative MPs, and a local Green Party Candidate. A letter of support from MP Glen Pearson was also read–Pearson was in Ottawa attending the Parliament Hill Rally.

Tags: proroguing