LTE - Prorogation (response to Will Munsey)

January 18, 2010

OTTAWA

Letter to the Editor

The following is in response to a letter Mr. Munsey sent to your publication, via email, this morning.
I appreciate the chance to correct the inaccurate information he is circulating – even though I have done so previously.
First, an easy check of the facts reveal that Parliament has not been prorogued twice in the last year.  Actually, the call for a new Throne Speech to launch the 3rd Session of the current Parliament is completely routine.  The average Parliament comprises two or three sessions (and two or three Throne Speeches); some Parliaments have heard as many as six or seven Throne Speeches.

This is the 105th time in Canada's history that a new Throne Speech will launch a new session of an existing Parliament.
The House will resume on March 3rd, only 20 days later than the calendar had originally indicated, Committees will once again meet, and Question Period will once again be held daily.

The decision by the Prime Minister and Governor General to prorogue Parliament and begin a new Session with a Throne Speech was made in order to provide the opportunity to refocus the Government’s agenda, and explain to the people of Canada what we plan to accomplish over the next session of Parliament.  As you know, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that the next phase of our Economic Action Plan will be launched with a Throne Speech followed by a Budget on March 4.
Of course, the economy remains Canadians' top priority and our top priority. The three economic themes of the new session will be: (1) completing implementation of the Economic Action Plan, (2) returning the federal budget to balance once the economy has recovered and (3) building the economy of the future.

All Private Members’ Business will be completely unaltered by prorogation. For example, Ms. Hoeppner's bill to repeal the long-gun registry will be unaffected by the launch of a new session.

As I stated above, prorogation until March 3rd means a difference of 20 sitting days. I also want to make it clear that, contrary to media claims, prorogation does not mean that Members of Parliament “are on a holiday”.  First, every one of our MPs is conducting consultations with their constituents prior to the creation of the Budget, and the Prime Minister has also asked us to obtain feedback on what voters want to see in the Speech from the Throne. That is exactly what I will be doing over the coming weeks. I will be hosting 14 town halls throughout Vegreville-Wainwright in order to provide information to my constituents and, as the Prime Minister requested, obtain feedback on many key issues, including consultations for the upcoming Budget. I hope you participate in one close to you.

Of course, I have and will continue to be involved in dozens of other meetings throughout this time as well.

Regarding Taliban detainees – why would the Prime Minister or I try to avoid this issue?  In fact, I believe our government has handled it very well. In this constituency the comments have generally been very supportive of our government’s action. Most  question why the Opposition parties are playing politics with this issue to the detriment of our top-notch, professional, military personnel.  I have no answer for that question.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to correct the record.

Leon Benoit, MP