Bliss on the GG's Job in "Canada's House of ill repute"

Canada's House of ill repute Michael Bliss, National Post, May 14, 2005

Michael Bliss is a professor of history at the University of Toronto and the author of Right Honourable Men: The Descent of Canadian Politics from Macdonald to Chretien

Canadians ought to realize that this week's breakdown of their Parliament is far more serious than any of the thuggish revelations from the Gomery commission. As of this weekend, we are in the historically unprecedented situation of having a Prime Minister who is clinging to office by recklessly disregarding the fundamental principles of our democracy. It is a shocking act of proto-tyranny, which justifies the extreme resort of intervention by the Governor-General.

[. . . . ] The Governor-General cannot intervene solely on her own initiative, but if she receives a request to intervene from the leaders of the parties that are daily demonstrating their control of the House of Commons, she can and must act. It has been reported that Mr. Harper and Mr. Duceppe have decided to appeal to Governor-General Clarkson. If they do, she has a clear duty to take note of the situation in Parliament and request that her Prime Minister seek the confidence of the House at the earliest opportunity, which is Monday. If he refuses to do his, the Governor-General ought to make known to Parliament her displeasure -- a step that would almost certainly have an immense effect on public opinion. [. . . . ]

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