Here is a list of others who shut down parliament when it didn't agree with them:

1629 King Charles I in England
1799 Napoleon in France
1913: Victoriano Huerta in Mexico
1933: Adolf Hitler in Germany
1936 Fransisco Franco in Spain
1939: Benito Mussolini in Italy
1973: Augusto Pinochet in Chile
2008: Steven Harper in Canada

Precedent setting. pfffffffft

I was going to do a knitting post, but I have decided to prorogue it for the time being.

Rally photo watch here.

Read what the people of Canada think over at the coalition Twitter page. (We're one of the top topics!)

If you read my last post you'd see that Canada is having some interesting times politically with the House of Commons pushing for a confidence motion in the Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Canadian Bush) so that they could vote "no confidence" forcing him to resign or call an election. You cannot remain the PM without the confidence of the House. That's how it works.

Today is a sad day for democracy in Canada. The Governor-General, Michaëlle Jean, has decided to grant Harper his prorogue. This has nothing to do with what is in the best interest of Canadian people as Harper likes to drone on and on about. This is all about Harper not wanting to lose his job. HE provoked the opposition by trying to take away public party subsidies, HE tried to take away worker's and women's rights, and HE gave us a crap economic platform that wouldn't help anyone.

"For the first time in the history of Canada the prime minister is running away from the parliament of Canada," said Liberal leader Stephane Dion, who headed up the opposition movement against Harper.

BRING IT HARPER. BRING IT!

To those of you who don't pay attention to Canadian politics, you really should right now. This is one of the most interesting times in Canadian political history. Right now 2 of the national parties, the NDP and the Liberal Party have forged a coalition deal that would, when the confidence vote fails (it's only a matter of time Harper, just deal with it) create a coalition government led by the Liberals. (You can read the accord here.) The Bloc Québécois is not formally part of this coalition, but has pledged their support for the next 18 months. (If only we could have Gilles as PM. *sigh*). Not only that, but Green Party leader Elizabeth May has also lent her support to the coalition. That means that 4 of the 5 major parties are UNITED behind this effort. And they have all made concessions. (As one does when one makes alliances like this. And also as one does to actually get shit done in government.)

OK, so there's another debate that I'll be watching tonight. (Actually, I'm having a debate watching party.) Since it starts soon I thought I might post the drinking game rules so those north of the border can use them if they wish. I know that most of you will be watching the VP debates, but I just think that the PM debates are so much more amusing. I mean, this time May (Green Party candidate) will be there! Hilarity ensues! And Giles Duceppes is always a good time. A 5 person debate is so much more fun.

Anyway. I'm sure I or Mandos will come back and tell you about it, but for now, for those who wish to participate, there will be some rules after I set this up for those not paying attention.

Layton=NDP (my personal favourites)
Dion=Liberal