Journalist Murray Dobbin Reminds Us of How Dangerous a Harper Dictatorship Really Is

Murray Dobbin has been following Stephen Harper's career for almost two decades, and knows perhaps better than anyone just what Canada's new dictator is capable of.

I only have one disagreement here. The media has got to stop referring to the opposition as 'weak', because if anything they feed into the apathy. The opposition may be weakened with non-stop attack ads, but stop counting them out.

Michael Ignatieff has found his niche and I think this will be his year. As Forbes magazine recently stated under their people to watch for in 2010:

Michael Ignatieff. After decades in Britain and the U.S., the professional intellectual returned to his native Canada and became head of the Liberal party. If a federal election is called in 2010, he could become the next prime minister, and the Canadian head of state with the biggest international profile since Pierre Trudeau.

First Prorogue, then Eviscerate
January 11, 2010
by Murray Dobbin
Published in theTyee and rabble.ca

There is, for good reason, a lot of enthusiasm across the country as the groundswell against Stephen Harpers’ cynical shuttering of Parliament continues to grow. The prime minister from hell has gotten away with so much — and the opposition is so weak that any indication of genuine public disgust at his continuing demonstration of contempt for democracy is a welcome sign. And everyone who cares about the country should be taking part in the new movement for democracy.

But we should also be careful that this issue does not totally distract us from Harper’s actual agenda which is still exactly as it has always been — to dismantle the Canada so painstakingly built by two generations of Canadians. In March, Harper will present his first “austerity” budget. It could prove to be more damaging than the proroguing of Parliament ....