Monday, June 19, 2006

Canadians Heed Harper's Advice

Harper has repeatedly implored Canadians to contact their elected representatives to make their voice heard:
Conservative supporters and Canadians at large should flood their MPs with demands for the kinds of change they want to see in government, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said today...

"We're going to need all of them writing, e-mailing, faxing and telephoning their MPs to tell them to get on with the plan."

Canadians have heeded the advice:
Furious Canadians bombarded the prime minister with e-mail following controversial spring decisions not to lower Parliament Hill flags for soldiers killed in Afghanistan or allow the public to view their return to Canada, documents obtained by CanWest News Service show.

The letters, sent via Stephen Harper's website and obtained under the Access to Information Act, provide a glimpse into the public psyche during one of the first major missteps by the new Conservative government.

Harper makes these blanket statements, as though he is the champion of direct democracy and accountability. Why is then that we only hear about the "bombardment" through the Access to Information Act? Shouldn't the PM have responded to his constituents who uniformally expressed their disapproval? Again, Harper illustrates the gulf between the rhetoric and the reality. The convenient populist strikes again.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Check out Emerson's In-Box... you don't hear much about that either.
His constituents must love him.
Keep those cards and letters coming, folks :)

scout said...

dare i say, 'they're all alike'? i emailed every mp and senator when the opp preemptivley went in to six nations to quelle the protestors.

cons, libs, ndp, block.....i got back , let's see, i think the count is up to four now, automated replies. wait!!! i got one personal reply from senator charlie watt's assistant!!!!!!!!!!!

Steve V said...

scout

Nothing says "your voice is heard" like an automated reply.

I remember once I wrote a letter to American Senator Joe Lieberman, lambasting him for his undermining of Democrats. I basically said he was disgrace, blah blah blah, and I received an automated response thanking me for supporting his 04 bid for President. Too funny.