[LINK] "The Commons: Who’s laughing now?"

[rfmcdonald]

MacLean's Aaron Wherry is--I think--properly scathing

In case anyone on the government side had forgotten, the leader of the opposition stood to recall where proceedings had left off a week ago and what else had arisen in the interim.

“Mr. Speaker, the government faces two RCMP investigations at once, one of them about Bruce Carson’s influence peddling right in the Prime Minister’s Office, and four members of the Prime Minister’s inner circle face accusations of election fraud that could result in jail time,” Mr. Ignatieff reported. “As if that was not enough, a committee of this House has found the government in contempt of Parliament.”

The government side chuckled at this last bit.

Democracy is, of course, a funny thing. An unruly, chaotic, competitive thing, compelled by unwritten rules and collective will, as much theoretical as it is practical and inherent. Ours is formally practiced in ancient dignity: “Mr. Speaker” this and “honourable member” that. A quirk that renders the proceedings both hallowed and peculiar, grounded and remote.

And from that do we arrive now at a finding—or at least a formal recommendation to that effect—of contempt.

It seems to be the government side’s feeling that this is not anything to be taken seriously. That this is all only to do with the fact that a majority of seats in the House of Commons are presently occupied by MPs who have pledged themselves to parties other than the Conservative side.

That may well be true. But to argue as much is, it seems, to question the entire legitimacy of our parliamentary system, from the power and purpose of the elected MP to the function of the political party to the role and representation of the voter in our democracy. By week’s end, this government may be the first in this nation’s history—the Liberal side claims this extends to the history of all other commonwealth governments—to be found in contempt of Parliament.

“This is an unprecedented cascade of abuse. The issue here is one of trust,” Mr. Ignatieff continued. “How can Canadians remain trusting of a government guilty of such flagrant abuse of power?”

The government side sent up John Baird to reassure the home audience. ”Mr. Speaker, it will not come as any surprise to the leader of the Liberal Party that I completely reject all of the misleading premises in his question,” Mr. Baird said, though it was unclear whether he meant here to dispute facts or meaning.

“There is no member of the government who is under investigation for a criminal offence,” he continued, previewing the Conservative side’s new election slogan.

There are actually four Conservatives, including two senators, being investigated for electoral fraud. As commenter notes, this hasn't affected polling--the Conservatives continue to lead the Liberals by double-digit percentages.