This country already has a problem with voter engagement, fuelled by an overriding view among many Canadians that their votes don't count, that all politicians are the same, that they all play dirty.
They see broken promises, juvenile name-calling in the House of Commons and hyper partisanship trumping reasoned debate and hit the remote.
Three things have to happen, and happen quickly, before we all must gird ourselves for an even more disengaged electorate and a voter turnout in 2015 that could convulse the nation.
First, Canadians have to get angry.
When the Conservatives twice shut down this place there were sporadic protests and rallies packed with opposition operatives, but most Canadians couldn't spell prorogue, let alone care about the ramifications.
When they were found to have violated Elections Canada spending rules in the so-called "in-and-out" case, Canadians not only yawned, they couldn't understand the accounting skullduggery.
When they were found in contempt of Parliament, Conservative strategists boldly stated that a breach of an arcane rule would make no difference to voters, and they were right.
When they booted unfriendlies from their campaign rallies, limited journalists to a set number of questions and used supporters to boo the questions they didn't like, the nation shrugged.
But, if there was a concerted effort to disenfranchise voters, this country can no longer shrug, or it deserves what it gets.
[snip]
Tim Harper is a national affairs writer. His column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. tharper@thestar.ca
And here's a relevant column from last April:
Why another election? Stephen Harper's government was charged with electoral fraud, contempt of parliament and incompetency.
Posted by PC
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