To the Editor: The recent disingenuous response by Dimitri Soudas, director of communications in Stephen Harper's PMO, to public outrage concerning the replacement on government documents of "The Government of Canada" by "The Harper Government" is self-serving partisan politics, an abuse of the term.
Within parliament the government is the prime minister and cabinet. That is understood and within the context of parliament that is accepted practice.
Just as when the Harper government and the Harper party stated falsely in the 2008 prorogation crisis that a parliamentary vote of non-confidence and the options available to the Governor General to ask another MP to form a government or the Leader of the Opposition to form a coalition government was to usurp the Harper government, undemocratic, or unparliamentary, the Harper government's statements are false.
Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy. We elect parliaments, not parties, not prime ministers. Governors General represent the Head of State, the Queen. Prime Ministers are the Queen's first ministers in the Government of Canada in Parliament. Governments are accountable to Parliament and serve the Sovereign who represents the sovereignty of the people.
It is "The Harper Government" which seeks to usurp democracy, our constitutional monarchy and the Supremacy of Parliament.
Brian Marlatt, White Rock, BC.
