Canada's prime minister abolishes the Government of Canada, replaces it with "the Harper government"

Canada's modest, self-effacing autocratic Prime Minister has demanded that the country's civil service must cease to use "the government of Canada" in official publications. From now on, the tax-funded communiques must refer to "the Harper government." I favor "the Harper regime," personally.

PMO: The Govt of Canada now renamed 'Harper Government'

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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Anonymous

Life imitates The Onion???
Anonymous

It’s cute when they go all stupid like this.
Anonymous

There hasn’t been much in the way of updates at this site lately, but I guess this issue was just too good to pass up…

http://www.undecidedparty.ca/images/Harper-Louis.jpg
Stephen

This will get really weird when they try to impose the new rule on Canadian embassies and consulates.
Anonymous

Sorry, I should have added with that picture link … for those with rusty French or History, the quote at the top is Louis the 14th’s famous, “I AM the state.”
alllie

Hubris.

He’s just destroyed his party.
BBNinja

Next up…he’ll be adding a (TM) and registering his name as speaking and entertainment services, joining the narcissist nutjob bandwagon along with Palin and the Dervaes, all in good company no doubt.
Anonymous

Let us not forget the great Autocratic, Arrogant & Anglophobic (and Anti-Semitic) Liberal, Pierre Trudeau, called backbenchers “Nobodies” and performed 712 Orders in Council in the same period of time that the British parliament did 12. Harper is quite tame compared to Trudeau (who would have let Israel fry BTW if not for the States)

An Actual (really) Picture of Trudeau during WW2:
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR4oBOojsZH25qJ-dHsXYPW20G6cy0dYSq9ygxU3uB00ihfpySq&t=1
BBNinja

The way I see it, Canada already has it bad enough being the constant butt of jokes. The only thing they’ve really got going for them are those french fries with gravy. This is the last thing Canada needs. Canadians…take back your dignity from this disingenuous idiot!
dhuff

As a resident of the U.S. and very occasional visitor to the Great White North, this seems Un-Canadian even to me…
- Snowrunner
  
  Keep one thing in mind: Before he became PM he made it pretty clear that everything about Canada is wrong and everything about the US is right and Canada should be much more like the US.
  
  He also was giving interviews to Fox News rather than Canadian Media. He was, essentially, unknown to most Canadians prior to him stealing the Conservative Party and remodelling it in his own image.
  
  I am still wondering how much longer Canadian Conservatives will align themselves with him before they try to rid themselves of him. I am guessing he has one more election before the party decides that he’s more of a liability than the shining hope of a Conservative majority that he has painted himself as.
  
  Through all three elections he’s been getting a minority his overall numbers haven’t budged. That’s a pretty good sign that he is not winning over anybody outside of the core Conservatives who just can’t stand the idea to vote on anything BUT conservative.
  
  As two former co-worker of mine have put it: I don’t like him, but who else am I going to vote for? I am Conservative and there is nobody else.
  
  Hence, my hope that the Wildrose Alliance in AB runs Candidates in the next Federal Election. They WILL take votes away from him and the rumblings I hear from friends in Edmonton at least is that many clamor for a change.
Anonymous

christ what an asshole
elix

Look at it this way: He’s at least stamping his name on everything stupid his government does, so he’s assuming responsibility.

Isn’t it almost time for an election, anyway? I’m guessing Harper won’t be calling one until his branding has time to settle in.
Church

Oh, Harper regime / My home and native land…
Hubert Figuiere

I call it myself the “Harper Junta”.
Anonymous

My first reaction was a general “ughhhhh”, as I’m not a Harper fan at all.

But then I realized how crazy this is. So when TV ads say “a message from the Government of Canada”, they’re now going to say “a message from the Harper Government”? Ridiculous.
Lelielle

Parlimentary aide: “Sir! you’ve gone mad with power!” PM Harper: “Of course I have!, have you ever gone mad without power? it sucks, nobody listens to you…”
CLamb

If it is to be labelled as somebody’s government shouldn’t it be “Her Majesty’s Government”. After all, Mr. Harper is only the queen’s prime ministry for Canada.
- Anonymous
  
  No, I’m pretty sure we’re our own country now. The PM is for us, not for foreign figureheads.
  - adamnvillani
    
    “No, I’m pretty sure we’re our own country now.”
    
    You do realize that Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, is still the Head of State for Canada, right? That’s why she’s on your money. Harper is the Head of Government. But the sovereign is the Queen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Act,_1982
    - Anonymous
      
      That’s pretty much just a courtesy, not really having any effect.
    - Boondocker
      
      Yeah, yeah, yeah. We all know we’re a Commonwealth country, we don’t need some smart-ass pointing to Wikipedia, especially when the Queen has all of the political impact of a classic rock band: good for gathering a nice crowd of well-behaved, mostly older people; not much pull otherwise. If we didn’t follow the Brits to Iraq, we’re not going to view the old dame, or her GG proxies, as the head of state.
Anonymous

Harper wants Canada to become NWO 2012 for American Unions, what you forgot is that Canadians will get ya, if you try that false flag, you’ll find yourself in a dumpster
Anonymous

I despair of Canadians seeing this man’s actions in their whole instead of accepting the drip, drip, drip as nothing very important. Everything he does, he does it with gaining electorally in mind. He does nothing for us, the people. He does nothing for the country. It’s all for him and his political gain.

Wake up Canada!!
Anonymous

Dear god. I thought someone here had a stroke or something, and decided to post a particularly unfunny joke. Then I checked the video and a couple of other links, and realized that the joke was on Canada.

Jesus christ. They’re using fucking government press releases as Conservative propaganda.

When it was Harris in power, I sometimes wondered if at the end of his mandate he would turn around and say, ‘There are still some things that we haven’t finished, so we’re going to stay a little while longer.’ Now, given all of the things that Harper and his cronies have done to undermine the electoral process, supports for opposing parties, and the fucking rule of law in general, I am honestly afraid that these smug scumbags will just shrug and say ‘no’ when they’re voted out of office.
Plum P

The only thing preventing Harper getting a majority govt is that les quÃ©bÃ©cois vote for le Bloc and that teh tories are at 19% in the polls here.

so progressive canadiens are saved from insanity by the separatists!

just saying…

life sure is weird, to quote Spiritualized.
Anonymous

I hear it referred to as “The Harper Government” on CBC radio all the time. This is the first time I have stopped and thought about it, and I don’t like it.
Anonymous

It’s always been traditional for the media to refer to the sitting government as the Prime Minister’s government or the political party’s government. Forcing civil servants to follow suit undermines the parliamentary system of government by making it seem like the elected party does more than temporarily control the structure of government.

Harper is no despot, nor is he a dictator. What he has is a lack of respect for the institution he heads. He has set out to undermine the civil service and shown contempt for parliament on more than one occasion. He has greatly expanded the Prime Minister’s Office and reduced Cabinet Ministers to little more than PR reps. I don’t think he is power mad; I just don’t think he understands or cares about the history of the post he holds. He is unwilling to admit error or wrongdoing so whatever decision he makes is what his government will stick to, no matter what.

It’s all very frustrating to someone who is in awe of our country. Of the way we welcome people from all over the world. Of the way we used to take the lead in international efforts and were seen as honest deal brokers. Of the way we make sure everyone has acces to health care and housing and education. Harper seems intent to roll back so many of the programs and institutions that have made this country one of the best places to live in the world.
Plum P

i see the same tory trolls who roam around the CBC and Globe and Mail websites are here as well…sad fuckers.
C White

Somebody’s got The Obama Administration envy.
John_S

What’s next? The province of McGinty, the province of Charest… Cities and towns will be named after the mayor?

Maybe instead of electing these people, we should switch over to a lottery based government. Then we could always blame it on bad luck.
C White

Also, back in 2006, they did something similar, switching “Government of Canada” to “Canada’s New Government”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada's_New_Government

“The phrase was quietly dropped in October 2007, with most references reverting to the “Government of Canada”"
cjp

The downside of a parliamentary democracy is that Harper gets to fulfill his despotic dreams, in spite of the fact that the majority of Canadians voted against him in the last election. If the middle and left ever got it together to form a coalition, the Tories would be shown the door.

There will be an election if the March federal budget presentation doesn’t go over well, but looks like the NDP have already gone to Harper with $800 million in demands and it will all be another missed opportunity. I like Iggy, but I wish he, and the Liberal party in general, would grow a pair and get rid of this creep.
RevEng

As a fellow Canadian, I find Mr. Harper’s actions deplorable. This is the Canadian government, not his government, and he’d do well to respect that.

In fact, it saddens me to see just how little the entire parliament remembers this. Harper may be the prime minister, but every member of parliament gets a vote and nobody is forcing them to follow their party blindly. MPs are supposed to support the wishes of their constituents, not the wishes of their party. Unfortunately, this is what it is evolved into; voting for an MP has inherently come to mean voting for the leader of that party and whatever he wishes.

Unfortunately, I feel like there’s little I can do personally other than voice my concern publicly. I sure as hell didn’t vote for him and I sure as hell won’t vote for him next time, but my single vote means nothing. I’ve written to my MP, but they don’t care what I have to say; as long as people vote along party lines (even when that party, like the Conservatives, isn’t following the wishes of the people voting for them), the actions of an MP are meaningless as is my support for them.

So what else is there to do? Grab pitchforks and march on Ottawa?
- OrcOnTheEndOfMyFork
  
  Harper may be the prime minister, but every member of parliament gets a vote and nobody is forcing them to follow their party blindly.
  
  Uh. Was there ever a time in Canadian history when this was true? The concept of “party whip” goes back to when people still used whips (outside the bedroom anyway). They’ve been around since confederation.
  
  And, on topic, this “Harper Government” crap is beneath the office in which he serves. Hopefully, this is the last government that even considers this a good idea. If Harper really wants increased branding, maybe he should see Mubarak’s tailor and get his suits pinstriped with his own name.
verafides

See, this is where Glenn Beck is useful. If Obama tried this, Beck would explode out of every orifice – possibly shattering his chalk board in the process. It could not be overlooked by Teh Peeplz. Even a crazy canary can be useful in a coal mine…
piratapuia

When you think your government cannot go beyond certain stupid limits, surprise, it can!
ackpht

Love the way Mr. Day just brushes it off- clearly he has designs on the U.S. Vice Presidency.
somecanuckchick

Harper Governmentâ„¢

“Megalomania is commonly understood as a mental behaviour characterized by an excessive desire for power and glory and by illusory feelings of omnipotence. The latter can be expressed in the psychopathological form of delusions of grandeur.”

By this definition, Stephen Harper is a megalomaniac.

As a Canadian, I have long been disturbed by what Stephen Harper will do to acquire power â€” and even more so by what Stephen Harper will do to hold on to power.

This Re-branding Directive is just another shining example of that fact.

What Stephen Harper has done is unprecedented and deplorable and does not reflect Canadian ideals or Canadian values.

For those who would say that other Canadian Governments have done the same…

It should be noted that the media, in the past, has referred to governments as the “Martin Government”, the “ChrÃ©tien Government”, the “Mulroney Government”, the “Trudeau Government”, etc. â€” this was not done by an internal directive from the Prime Minister or the Prime Minister’s Office, it was done solely by the media to qualify each government’s mandate, to summarise each government’s accomplishments… and certainly not in an attempt to re-brand the Government of Canada.

Stephen Harper is trying to re-make Canada in his own image.

Stephen Harper is not here for Canada.

Stephen Harper is here for himself and the Harper Governmentâ„¢.

It was, is, and will always be the Government of Canada!
- Snowrunner
  
  An echo to my thoughts.
  
  Harper is someone who is in it for the “power”, he wants to be prime minister and it doesn’t matter how.
  
  If he ever gets a majority we’ll see the Rob Ford Show on a national level.
  
  I so hope for the Wildrose Alliance to run people in the next Federal Election, the only way this can end well is when his own side starts breaking off (again).
Chris Tucker

Harper, screw you, eh?

(Had to be done.)
Anonymous

*Now, internal government documents obtained by The Canadian Press show that civil servants were being ordered by minister’s offices to use the term, and that they were “obligated to do so if asked.”*

If anyone from the Prime Minister down to the lowest Tory party hack ever ‘asks’ me to do this I’ll punch thier teeth down thier goddamn throats.
Anonymous

I thought we agreed to call it Canada’s Government Feat. Thee Harp Man

Stink-bomb his office and itching powder his dry-cleaning
Prufrock451

Also, Toronto will be known as “Harpertown,” members of Parliament will be known as “Mini-Harpers,” Tim Hortons will be known as “Steve Harptons,” and Stephen Harper will be known as “Margaret Trudeau.”
- nicboshart
  
  Actually Toronto’s just had a name change to Ford Nation.
- Anonymous
  
  Actually, Toronto is already known as ‘FordNation’ our very own Canadianified Tea Party, sorry “Respect for Taxpayers Action Coalition” or whatever they want to call themselves.
- uglyredhonda
  
  Actually, I think Harpertown goes to Ottawa. Toronto’s new name is ROB FORD.
  - Diet Mr Pibb
    
    I thought Toronto’s new name was GRAVY TRAIN. Ford’s only working at balancing the Toronto budget by doing away with discretionary expenditures, slashing a few million of the city’s revenue and inflating the TTC’s operating expenditures by something on the order of an order of magnitude.
    
    Credit where credit is due, though: props for blowing the lid off the TCHC thing, but I don’t think that firing everybody is necessarily the solution. (MLSE, on the other hand, could use that once the Leafs are officially out of the playoffs)
JJ

Ugh, the CBC is so biased against Harper. EVERY OTHER PM has done this too! The Chretien government, etc etc etc.

It’s just like when he prorogued parliament and everyone acted as if this was some horrible affront to democracy without precedent in Canadian history, even though Prime Minister Chretien had done the exact same thing.

Left-wingers judge Harper by this ridiculous, paranoid double-standard, and CBC stories like this are now making us a laughing stock to the rest of the world.
- nicboshart
  
  What? No they haven’t. They’ve referred to their own government as such, but haven’t changed the official letterhead.
- Anonymous
  
  “EVERY OTHER PM has done this too!”
  
  To state the obvious: just because someone else has done it, it doesn’t mean it the right/legal/ethical/moral thing to do.
- freshacconci
  
  JJ, do you not understand the difference? The media — all media, have always referenced the current government by the party leader. In other words, the Mulroney Government, the Martin Government, the Harper Government.
  
  This story is in reference to official documents, paid for by taxpayers, to be changed from Government of Canada to the Harper Government. See the distinction? No PM has ever done this.
  
  And it’s not just the CBC that is reporting on this. All media outlets are.
  
  Sorry for the incivility, everyone, but JJ, you’re an idiot.
- somecanuckchick
  
  Misinformation, JJ â€” There was never an official directive from the PMO, it was the media who referred to each government by its Prime Minister.
- Kai
  
  … Yeah, no, not so much. No other PM has ever done this, regardless of the media choosing to name the governments.
  
  And the prorogue concerns, were because he criticized it, promised he wouldn’t do it, that he would reform things, and then did it himself… twice. Both times, specifically to prevent incredibly important things, only because it made him look bad.
  
  So, if anything is making us a laughing stock, it’s the insane unjustified and hypocritical actions… And maybe, those too ignorant about the topics to actually understand what’s going on, and who make blanket dismissive statements =P
- Anonymous
  
  Correction: The letterhead under Chretien read “the Government of Canada”. Also, Harper’s use of prorogue was significant because he used the procedure to avoid being stripped of power by the Opposition MPs. Both of Harper’s acts are unprecedented, and strangely paranoid.
- Anonymous
  
  Did Chretien prorogue parliament to avoid a confidence vote?
  
  Didn’t think so.
- Anonymous
  
  No Canadian government has EVER had the audacity to replace “Government of Canada” with the name of the ruling party or ruling party’s leader.
  
  I defy you to find a single official document since 1867 which proves otherwise.
  
  When we refer to the “[PM]‘s government”, we’re referring to the cabinet, as in “the Governor General asked —– to form the next government”. When we refer to the Government of Canada, we’re referring to all institutions of national governance, the vast majority of which a non-partisan civil servants. With this move, PM Harper has literally politicized the names of the post office, Canada Pension and the Canadian Armed Forces.
  
  Go to http://www.canada.gc.ca and see how you feel about replacing “Government of Canada” with “Harper Government”. Then do a search-and-replace of the DND’s website and see how this reads: http://j.mp/e2DbEe
Anonymous

I guess instead of MP’s, we can now call them HarP’s. The more strident ones at least.
Anonymous

Stockwell Day: “… good luck with that… chuckle, smirk”.

Nice! Automatically rejecting all other opinions out of hand is a sure sign of a dictator. No shock.

Psycho.

- Shawn
Urbanerosion

I wonder if they will change ‘the people of Canada’ to ‘Harpers people’
chawke

I for one welcome our Harp…oh…ne’ermind.

Remember when Daffy Duck at the end of the old Loony Tunes would take off, flipping around like a fish, yelling whoop, whoop!, whoop! and other noises – this is the scene that came to mind when I read about Harper’s new branding plan.

whoop!, whoop!, whoop!
aspec

April fool’s…?
Snowrunner

I’ve started referring to him for the past year as: “the glorious leader(TM)” and as such I now also refer to “The Harper Government(TM)”.

Oh, and then there was this yesterday:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/pmo-apologizes-for-booting-media-before-ignatieff-speech/article1931302/

Mr. Harper spoke briefly, after which reporters, photographers and TV camera crews were asked â€“ by staff from the Prime Minister’s Office â€“ to leave.

The handful of journalists at the event, including a reporter for The Canadian Press, complied, unaware that Mr. Ignatieff [leader of the opposition ed.] was to address the gathering.

I think he needs a bit more rope. Maybe Canada can repeat what happend to Guttenberg in Germany last week.
Anonymous

This rather simple google search shows only one match, and it doesn’t match the clip of the government website shown in the news report above.

“The Harper Government” site:http://canada.gc.ca/

Why is that?
Anonymous

Hamid Harper loves election-rigging. He uses public servants and public funds to do his campaigning and he won’t stop until we throw him out.
invictus

…wait, you mean this *isn’t* an Air Farce skit?!
- elix
  
  …wait, you mean this *isn’t* an Air Farce skit?!
  
  I was hoping to see a This Hour Has 22 Minutes logo sneak in somewhere, but it’s on CBC.ca.
Anonymous

This is so not right for so many reasons — and all this right on the heels of evidence of skeeviness during last election’s ad campaign.

This can’t be allowable, and Stockwell Day’s comment only highlights the problem: not enough people are raising their voices. So what can we do to stop this?
Diet Mr Pibb

I think the ironical part is that King Steve hasn’t ever had a majority government.. so it’s never strictly been the Harper government.. it’s been the Harper-and-whoever-else-doesn’t-want-to-have-an-election-so-Ignatieff-really government.

CLamb has a really good point.. I think, on a technicality, it is Her Majesty The Queen’s government. Perhaps His Excellency the Governor General’s, but definitely not Prime Minister Harper’s.. I feel he’d need a majority government to have even a claim at it being “his”.
- Snowrunner
  
  Technically the “ruler” of Canada is the Governor General as the Queens representative in Canada.
  
  Hence, why every time he wants to give Parliament a time out he has to order his motorcade to drive him around the block.
  
  I still, to this day, do not understand why Michelle Jean allowed him to prorogue twice. What did he had on her that she submitted TWICE to his whim?
  
  Harper may do a lot of damage, but Jean is right up there with him.
Hubert Figuiere

Also it should be noted:

The House of Commons rules disallow using name to address or talk about MP. Which mean that the term “Harper Government” can’t be used in the House of Commons.
bytefyre

the Canadian government is becoming increasingly more embarrassing to me, in fact most of our politicians are becoming increasingly more embarrassing as a rule, for example my MP sent out a letter some time ago with some sort of dull budgetary info and it turns out that a Catholic School Board related thing got more taxpayer money (I think it was in tax refunds or something)than the *women’s shelter*, then again my MP is Helana Guergis so I suppose embarrassing things are are specialty
Anonymous

Looks like they’ve taken down all news releases from the government of canada website…
thrind

This is the guy who keeps saying “CANADIANS DON’T WANT ANOTHER ELECTION” like it was some sort of truth.
flabnor

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/mulroneys-advice-to-harper-do-something-big/article1879648/

The love-child of Emperor Palpatine and Jay Leno has some advice for all you angry nerds in power out there. Give the ingrate peasantry a good swift kick in the nards on the way out the door. And if the rebel scum dare try to hold you accountable, sue the country!

In his cold, dark grave, Nixon has a hardon.
urbanhick

I just finished reading Lawrence Martin’s “Harperland – the Politics of Control”, so this doesn’t surprise me in the least.

What surprises me is that my fellow Canadians have put up with this knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, dead-eyed, neo-con Republican wannabe as long as they have.

Sure, so the ChrÃ©tien Liberals misappropriated a few million dollars here and there for their own purposes – Hell, what gov’t doesn’t do that? At least they weren’t trying to destroy the country’s institutions piecemeal, all the while insisting we wanted them to do it and it’s good for us and we ought to pay for it.

One telling incident recounted in Harperland: when telephoned by some close advisors and told that they thought he needed to re-work some copy on a Tory advertisement, Harper’s response was an icy: “I don’t give a fuck what you think”.

And THAT, my fellow Canadian friends, is what he think of all of us. He doesn’t give a fuck.
- Snowrunner
  
  Sure, so the ChrÃ©tien Liberals misappropriated a few million dollars here and there for their own purposes – Hell, what gov’t doesn’t do that? At least they weren’t trying to destroy the country’s institutions piecemeal, all the while insisting we wanted them to do it and it’s good for us and we ought to pay for it.
  
  My sense of this always was:
  
  Sure, the Liberals stole FROM the Government, but Harper is trying to steal the country.
  
  I don’t support what the Liberals have done, but if I had to chose they win hands down.
7cal

Hmmm, I’m fairly apolitical, generally vote Tory, and haven’t had a huge problem with Harper. This kind of crap really makes me rethink that though. All these little things are starting to add up and chafe me, think I may have to throw the Grits a vote next election.
Anonymous

This is horrible. Hopefully this doesn’t go unnoticed by the “hoi polloi.”
Antinous / Moderator

making us a laughing stock to the rest of the world.

It’s a bit late to close the barn door on that cow.
- futnuh
  
  It’s a bit late to close the barn door on that cow.
  
  Do expand. I travel a lot and in my interactions with citizens of other countries, Canada is generally still very well respected.
  - Anonymous
    
    On behalf of the rest of the planet, we consider you Canadians to be more sensible and friendlier versions of you nutty neighbours to the South. This Harper fellow is not helping.
    - dhuff
      
      I live in the nuttiest part of Canada’s southern neighbor (Texas) and I agree. This Harper guy seems positively USA-ian (which shouldn’t be taken as a compliment in this case).
    - futnuh
      
      I was raised to believe that Canada was the land of “peace, order and good government”. (This in contrast to the USA’s “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.) Harper seems to be working hard to deflate that last attribute. As a fiscal conservative and social liberal, I’ll be spending real dollars to make sure Harper doesn’t get the majority he craves.
  - Snig
    
    During the Bush years, it was often suggested to traveling American’s that they pretend to be Canadian to avoid the embarrassment of Dubya the Dubious.
  - wookiedingleberry
    
    Well, it’s generally pretty difficult to ferret out how people feel about you. Considering our growing reputation as thin-skinned and our massively patronizing yet baseless delusion regarding our universal affability, it’s probably harder than ever to get a finger on the pulse of the world citizenry regarding the critical issue of “is ‘Canada’ as well respected as she ought to be?”
    P.S. I applaud your classically Canadian passive-aggressive stance. Go Habs!
  - Antinous / Moderator
    
    My grandparents were Newfs. I enjoy the hereditary privilege of mocking the rest of Canada.
    - RevEng
      
      I don’t mean to be rude, Antinous, but I don’t believe your grandparents’ origin gives you any sort of privilege to make such a blanket statement about a country. Please, enlighten us: what exactly have we let out of the barn doors that makes us a laughing stock to the rest of the world?
      - elix
        
        I’m 99% sure Antinous is Canadian, and therefore commenting about his own country. And that wooshing sound is Canadian humour flying over your head.
        
        As far as what was let out of the barn… we let Harper out of the barn and, as of yet, we haven’t shoved him back into it. And if you wish to take a certain partisan view, all Harper has done since he’s been in office has diminished Canada’s reputation at best.
        
        I, for one, am ashamed of my Prime Minister. He makes me think of George W. Bush, only without a competent puppetmaster pulling the strings to actually manipulate his position to the fullest extent.
        
        Harper prorogued (dismissed/delayed) parliamentary procedures twice, once specifically to avoid a vote of No Confidence and trigger an election (because he would have lost). Democracies aren’t supposed to work that way.
      - Anonymous
        
        Psst. He already mentioned it. The Newfies.
        
        ;-P
      - travtastic
        
        Tar sands? Military support of US adventurism? Beating the hell out of protesters?
      - futnuh
        
        Tar sands? Military support of US adventurism? Beating the hell out of protesters?
        
        Mulroney expanding the senate to push through the GST. Trudeau flipping the bird to protesters or, more seriously, invoking the War Measures Act. I’m pretty sure most PMs have shown contempt for democracy â€¦ once they are happily in power. (Pardon the lack of anything Chretien/Martin – I was living abroad for this decade â€¦ You know, listening to what foreigners thought of my country.)
      - urbanhick
        
        Seriously, now: Which would you rather have? Someone giving protestors the finger, or someone calling in Toronto’s Finest (augmented by Lord knows who else’s finest – they took their badges off so you couldn’t tell) to kettle, bludgeon, and lock up their ass for no reason?
        
        Yes, every one of the sonsofbitches are guilty of overstepping even their bounds once in a while – but there is such a thing as order of magnitude. Perhaps your time living abroad (You know – being as snidely facetious about it as possible) had blinded you to the fact that Harper is incrementally moving this country closer and closer to simplistic Republican-style politics of intolerance and division.
      - Snowrunner
        
        You know what? I rather have a PM that strangles a haggler than a PM that decides to make himself King.
        
        Cretchien was far from perfect, but hell, compared to the current Clown he was a Nobel price winner.
      - elix
        
        That’s not a very good metric on which to choose a leader… but I agree with you. Where’s Chretien and that soapstone carving when we need him?
      - urbanhick
        
        LMAO! i’d forgotten about that caper – leave it to le p’tit gar to kick some nefarious ass!
Anonymous

Antonius is a Newf?! brilliant! no wonder he won’t post my comments!
I’m one too, and like all Newfs, we are the epitomy of the Crabs in the Bucket phenom!
(see the end of this film, made in newfoundland)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vspPDM20wLk
the_headless_rabbit

The worst part about all of this is that Dear Leader’s approval ratings have been going up.

If there were an election, it is very possible that we would be stuck with a majority Harper government. Then Canada would really lose.

Thankfully, the biggest reason people support Harper seems to be ignorance. Once people are informed about what he is actually doing, they get very upset.
Anonymous

This: “Harper Government to further strengthen protection for Canadian consumers of financial products and services

8 March 2011″

here: http://www.canada.gc.ca/home.html , today.
shutz

I also thought this was an Onion piece, or something from one of our multiple comedy/fake news shows, here in Canada. But as I kept watching, and saw nothing funny, it dawned on me that this might actually be a real report.

This isn’t going to help him when the country goes back into election mode again, soon — there’s a good chance the next budget won’t get voted in, with the Harper Government being the minority.

It’s just a pity none of the other options can muster enough of a following to put an end to this Republic of Harper.
IamInnocent

I am off the “blaming the tyrant” game for this one. Harper’s Gov in a minority government that could be defeated any time the opposition gets their guts ans spines back. It is the second minority government of them in a row. They don’t pass any of their bills alone and at least some part of the opposition has to collaborate. The same remarks apply to the population who’s become so blase, comfortable and sheep-like.
- freshacconci
  
  While there is plenty of blame to go around, from an apathetic electorate to an ineffectual opposition to a lazy media, none of this lets Harper off the hook. This issue isn’t about a bill being passed in parliament, it’s the actions of the sitting government away from the House. The reason the electorate is so passive is Harper’s misdeeds have been basically treated like minor offenses. Anyone who cares about the direction of Canada needs to keep hammering away at this, to keep “blaming the tyrant”. You accuse the population of being “blase, comfortable and sheep-like.” So, here’s a chance to not be so comfortable, to assign blame.
astrochimp

I’m cool as long as we can use “anti-Harper government” for any government after it.
Anonymous

It’s ridiculous and pathetic, but I’m not surprised. If it wasn’t this prime minister it’d be the next.
This is just another step in concentrating power in the PMO’s office that has been going on since the Trudeau era.

On one level I don’t blame him (or his advisors, which is where this probably came from). The Canadian media has virtually stopped calling the federal government “the federal government” for nearly a generation now. The media has always called the current government the “Harper government”, and before that it was the Martin government, and before that the Chretien government and before that the Mulroney government, etc.

And don’t forget, the current provincial government in Ontario has taken many an opportunity to call itself the McGuinty government.

Harper isn’t the first to do this, only the latest.

If people felt this issue was so important they would have began protesting years ago – say like sometime in the 1980′s.
Anonymous

Last I remember its still Her Majesty the Queen’s Government with Harper mearly its custodian.
Anonymous

I can hardly wait to see the new flag and currency. A big red H on everything!!!! Heil Harper! Hiel Harper! All bow to Harper!!!
Anonymous

http://t.co/XlfHNWV Here’s a petition going around opposing the change. Let’s get to it, friends!
genre slur

Harper ‘governs’ in the same way that drag-racers use their ‘chopped’ vehicle to go to the market. Guy reminds me of a client of mine who was paranoid schizophrenic and ‘dual-diagnosis’ (IE MH diagnosis + substance abuse; hard to ascertain which exacerbated the original cycle). Makes me want to leave this beautiful country…
Anonymous

This is just truth in advertising. When I saw messages from the government of Canada, I already knew they were Harper pushing his agenda, and didn’t represent me at all. :(
millrick

here’s a Conservative Party of Canada ad that implies voting for Harper will keep ‘global unrest’ away from Canada.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShsNocyDepM&feature=player_embedded

the irony is that there were anarchists burning police cars and cops beating protesters in Toronto last summer
http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/2010-2011/youshouldhavestayedathome/
the Harper Government didn’t keep unrest away from Canada
- Anonymous
  
  I am constantly pissed off at how many negative campaign ads the Conservatives seem to be running before an election’s called. I haven’t noticed any other parties doing it, just the Conservatives.
  
  It should be illegal.
Anonymous

The following news item shows that “Government of Canada” is still being used … today!

http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?crtr.sj1D=&mthd=advSrch&crtr.mnthndVl=12&nid=594099
Snig

I guess it’s better than “the Harry Baals Government”, but not by much.
Anonymous

06-03-2011 : 09:49 PST

I just came back from http://www.canada.gc.ca and cannot find any mention of “The Harper Government” on any of the press releases. In fact, the top press release on the site uses “Government Of Canada” prominently multiple times.

Does this mean Harper has quietly backed down from this debacle already?

-RTM
- somecanuckchick
  
  Check the news from the Ministry of Finance, scroll down… POW “Harper Government” http://www.fin.gc.ca/news-nouvelles/nr-nc-eng.asp
  
  Plenty of Government of Canada departments are doing this.
ElighCS

Harper needs to step down. We’ve had enough of his pathetic attempts to be the George Bush Jr. of Canada.
Anonymous

Harper Regime indeed. He’s already oust everyone in his party that isn’t his yes-man.
Anonymous

When do we ditch Harper like Mubarak?

No, seriously. Canada hasn’t had a legitimate government since we’ve supported the USA’s recent unjust wars, blockades, etc. We’ve been killing Afghanis without any attempt at due process, to enforce some sick political fiction on a whole bunch of people who don’t want it. We aren’t supposed to be empire building for Hamid Karzi.

And our police force has gone from *the* most respected in the world to one of the more corrupt. Not in the pay $10 to avoid a ticket way, but in that they lie and support each other. Many (most?) of the RCMP at the G20 in Toronto took their badge numbers off their uniforms and refused to identify themselves. Obviously other officers would have seen this but nobody is willing to come forward and so the guilty escape punishment for their brutality. Similarly, when four officers killed a man in the Vancouver airport they confiscated video of the event and lied about having done so. Nobody who participated in or ordered the cover-up has been disciplined, let alone fired or jailed.

If Canada were truly the country we wish to be seen as we’d have soldiers in Yemen, Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, etc, at the behest of the people, instead of in Afghanistan against the will of the people.
harpdevil

An example of another government that has lost sight of the fact that they work FOR us. If he wants to change the name to declare who is in charge it should be ‘Her Majesty’s Government’ or better yet, ‘The People’s Government’.
Anonymous

The Harper Government has determined that all references to the Canada will now read as “Harperstan”
Anonymous

I’m outside of Ottawa and I care! This is ridiculous. If Harper wants his name on letterhead, let HIM pay for it. Don’t waste our tax dollars on your own political campaign, Harper.
kspraydad

Great…now Mr. Harper, get your government to get rid of Mansbridge and crew (seriously…do I need my tax dollars telling me its your government?).
James

Dear leader,

You have defeated your enemies, and it is time to make your big announcement. Perhaps I can be of assistance. Below is the speech I used; just fill in the blanks and it should help considerably.

You can deliver it personally, or have a supporter do it, depending on media coverage.

Yours truly.

– — – — – — – —

“This has been the most trying of times, but we have passed the test. The _____ is over!

“The _____s have been utterly defeated, and the _____ will stand! United! United and free!

“The _____ was our final test — it was the last gasp of the forces of darkness! Now we have left that darkness behind us forever, and a new day has begun! It is morning in _____!

“Never again will we be divided! Never again will _____ turn against _____, _____ turn against _____, sibling turn against sibling! We are one _____, indivisible!

“To ensure that we will always stand together, that we will always speak with a single voice and act with a single hand, the _____ must change. We must evolve. We must grow. We have become an empire in fact; let us become an Empire in name as well! We are the first _____ Empire!

“We are an Empire that will continue to be ruled by _____! We are an Empire that will never return to the political maneuvering and corruption that have wounded us so deeply; we are an Empire that will be directed by a single _____, chosen for life!

“We are an Empire ruled by the majority! An Empire ruled by a new _____! An Empire of laws, not of politicians! An Empire devoted to the preservation of a just society! Of a safe and secure society! We are an Empire that will stand _____ years!

“We will celebrate the anniversary of this day as _____ Day. For the sake of our children. For our children’s children! For the next _____ years!

“Safety! Security! Justice and peace!

“Say it with me! Safety, Security, Justice and Peace!”
JDubsMontreal

This is upsetting. It’s not Stephen Harper’s government, it’s the government of the people of Canada. It’s like the housekeeper suddenly deciding that they own the house. Not so much.

Facebook group for all those in opposition: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_145211575542415
BryanB

does this mean that they’re gonna change every Civil Service organization (there are so many just the changing of the letterhead/websites would take forever/cost a bunch for something thats inevitably going to be reversed) to The Harper Government? My mum works for Corrections Canada, does this mean she now works for Corrections of The Harper Government? or that all their official correspondance has to say Harper Government when she’s not a member of parliament (or official political member at all) and has always voted NDP? I thought this was a joke when i first saw the headline. this is ridiculous. this is assigning politics onto peoples jobs, its a step away from asking what religion you are in an interview. seeing that civil servants and their respective organizations outlast any PM ever, this is also kind of a rewrite of history, like the harper government (as opposed to the more neutral name Government of Canada) has always been in power and will always be in power.

and to JJ, in the past few years (since harper threatened the CBC with massive cuts basically for not supporting him) i’ve noticed the CBC (at least their website articles) to be vaguely right wing propagandistic. why do conservatives quickly lay blame on the “left wing media” when that media isnt exactly left. touting slogans from 10 years ago.

this is fucking crazy though. I dont really feel proud to live in this country anymore, but everywhere else looks just as bad. when are we gonna get to mars? i want out!

this is a country/continent/generation that no longer votes/pays attention and this will go by mostly unnoticed. i voted in a bi-election a year or two ago. i went to the poll near the end of the day and found out that less than 100 people had voted in my area. theres also seems to be a strange curse of my generation (i’m 24) to blindly vote the same way their parents do without question, pretty much because they were told to.
Anonymous

Egotistical, meglomaniacal, narcistic are but a few of the words to describe him.
Think mini-Bush without the cash…..you get the idea.
Actually I am amazed we were able to seperate harpers lips from bushes arse when bush lost…..
benher

Yes, but do the pin stripes on his suit spell out his name in tiny letters?
somecanuckchick

Also worth noting:

1. The Harper Government re-branding directive is also in conflict with the Government of Canada’s Federal Identity Program (URL: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/fip-pcim/index-eng.asp )

2. Queen Elizabeth II, when in Canada, is the Queen of Canada. (URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Canada )

3. The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, when she is not in Canada. (URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_General_of_Canada )