ridenrain ridenrain:
The war in Afghanistan wasn't a self defence issue or rapid deployment event, it was a long time commitment that I doubt would even be a serious issue today if the Libs were still in power. A great number of our forces missions were done without consultation by parliament or informing the public. I still don't really know what we're doing in Haiti.
Afghanistan is only an example of the huge powers that an un-opposed PMO has. Again, I refer to the Jeffrey C. Simpson book: "The Friendly Dictatorship".
$1:
Within the parliamentary system, as it has evolved in Canada, the prime minister is like a Sun King. He is all powerful. The Canadian prime minister has more unfettered power within this system than any other leader in a democracy. Put another way, he faces fewer checks or balances to that power than any other leader. We think of our system as parliamentary government, but what we really have is prime ministerial government within the trappings of a parliamentary system.
Think of the prime minister's power. He appoints every person of importance in the entire Government of Canada: all the ministers and parliamentary secretaries, the deputy ministers, senators, the head of state (the Governor General), the chief justice of the Supreme Court, the head of the armed forces, the heads of all crown corporations (including the chair and president of the arms-length Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), the information commissioner, the privacy commissioner, the official languages commissioner, even the ethics counsellor, who is responsible not to Parliament but to the prime minister. The prime minister does not just nominate these people; he appoints them without anyone or any institution able to reject his selection.
The system is not broken, but it needs some tweaking or strong opposition to hold the PMO in check. The amount of people not participating in the political system is understandable but it also allows the worst to proceed without criticism.
The main reason I don't like the Liberals is that they are a populous party that will bend and flex it's position, right or left to stay popular. From a right of center position, I see little value in teaming up with a center party. The CPC would be better off to team up with the left of center and together they can undercut the Libs.
Not in self defence? Thank you for formally invalidating the only possible justification for the war. Now its completely without morality and merit. I can't wait to hear about our allies buring our flag and chanting death to us when our media insults islam too.
Chretien was wrong to deploy the troops without adequate discussion and wrong to not deploy them even when that discussion showed a lack of support. I think not matter what he did you would find fault.
As for your opinion that the Liberals are a party that simply follows the masses, well thats about as relevant as your average KKK opinion on minority rights. You hate the Libs. Pure and simple. Nothing they do will ever make you happy and you will find fault with every single thing they do.
The fact that they often respond to the will of the people, the very idea of gov't you espouse, just makes you say they are a party that follows popularity. If that were true they would never have paid down the debt.
Too often the right feels they have the right, nay obligation, to tell people how to live their lives. Thats why the conservatives are so bust telling Canadians what they need rather then listening to them.
Thats why the whole agenda thing. Thats why the lack of success in gaining support.
CKA Elite 
Being someone that you admire would be a mark of significant failure in life.
Ontario would last 6 months.
