Prorogation of Canadian Parliament

Leading a Divided Parliament

On December 4th 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper requested from the Governor General of Canada, Michaelle Jean, the prorogation of 40th Parliament. This was a strategic and controversial move made by the Prime Minister and his party due to a “constitutional crisis” claimed by the Conservative party. The Governor General made the correct choice by granting the request from Prime Minister Stephen Harper to prorogue parliament. The consequence of not granting this request would have been a coalition government takeover of parliament, and the destruction of the confidence of voters across Canada. In the history of Canada, there has never been a situation of this scale, where the opposition federalist parties, the Liberals and the New Democrats, seek to form a government with the support of a separatist party, the Bloc Québécois , despite that a federal election had been held only a month before. The purpose of this essay is to prove the differences and greater complexity of this “crisis” compared to previous chapters in Canadian history, and it will continue further by proving that the prorogation of the House of Commons benefited the already unstable and uncertain Canadian economy caused by the opposition parties’ threat to overthrow the government. This situation has caused anger from many parts of Canada, but predominantly from the already alienated western Canada and Quebec. One may argue in order to maintain a stable and united democracy, an elected government should never be overthrown by one that was not elected by the voters, nor should a non-governing party taking power by comprising national unity with the support of a separatist party.

On October 14th 2008, Canadians went to the polls to elect their favoured Members of Parliament or parties, who they believed would be best at managing an economic uncertain time in Canadian history. Shortly after the polls closed, Canadians elected a larger minority federal Conservative...