NightCAPP – March 22

Come join us March 22nd from 6-9 at Spinnakers Brew Pub, 308 Catherine St, Victoria BC for our first monthly ‘NightCAPP’.

NightCAPP is a gathering place for groups who promote democracy or democratic engagement, for individuals who believe in those goals, and for community members looking for ways to have their voice heard. Whether you’re a long-time activist or someone for whom prorogation was the last straw, we invite you to come out and debate, celebrate, inspire, and network with people from across the region.

We invite people of all political affiliations and none. As a multi-partisan group, CAPP is concerned with promoting a greater involvement with our entire democratic process, not any particular perspective on it.

The 1500 person rally in Victoria on January 23rd started as a group of people around a table in a local coffee shop. So it seems somehow fitting that the spirit of that table, and that rally, will continue in the form of a monthly social event – NightCAPP.

RSVP on Facebook.

Contempt in the Canadian Parliament

Please note: the footnotes for this article are not available here. To get the complete article and citations please contact us.

Parliamentary Privilege and the Case for Charging Prime Minister Stephen Harper with Contempt of Parliament

Donald A. Scott, BBA, MPA
February 28, 2010
Summary

Prime Minister Harper’s order to the Governor General to prorogue Parliament is well within the scope of a breach of corporate parliamentary privilege in the sense of “contempt of parliament”.

Defense Minister Peter MacKay’s refusal to supply documents ordered by the Parliamentary Committee investigation the Detainee issue is also a “contempt of parliament” and punishable as the House may determine.

The House has the right and the duty to restore the dignity and authority of the House through the use of parliamentary privilege.

The House has the authority to exercise its disciplinary powers to declare and issue penalties it deems appropriate in the circumstances.

The exercise of this power is “absolutely necessary for the conservation of the dignity and usefulness of the body”.

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Full Article

Goal-Setting

Join us Saturday, March 6 from 4:30 – 6:30 at 614 1/2 Fisgard St to help us set the direction as Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament becomes Canadians Advocating Political Participation.

What do you want to see happening in your community? How would you like to have your voice heard? What does your democracy look like?

Can’t make it out on Saturday? Post your ideas as comments here, and we’ll make sure that your voice is part of the discussion!

Come join your fellow Victorians as we celebrate a return to engagement with our democracy. This is a potluck/BYOB event, so if you’re able, bring some food to share, and something to drink (after the meeting). After all, if we want people to take part in it – we need to keep democracy fun!