Colin Kenny (Montreal Gazette) – I have a story to tell you. But first allow me to say a few words on one of humanity’s finest jewels: democracy.

Governments in countries like Syria have Draconian ways of dealing with citizens who dare to speak openly without their approval. They send out snipers.

Governments in countries like Canada aren’t like the government in Syria. Western governments celebrate free speech, openness and transparency. Our governments fund activities around the world that promote the kind of civic discourse that is at the core of democracy.

All governments, however, are at times tempted to circumvent democratic principles when those principles threaten their own grip on power. The Harper government, as many have noted before me, has succumbed to such temptation with unprecedented passion. Continued…

(Toronto Star) – Where does Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government get off trying to micromanage the Royal Canadian Mounted Police commissioner’s day-timer?

Newly-installed Commissioner Bob Paulson has just been told that he can’t meet with Members of Parliament or senators without getting a green light from Public Safety Minister Vic Toews’ office. In their hubris, the Tories have decided that they alone will book the chief’s get-togethers with parliamentarians.

This follows hard on Harper’s demand that the Mounties check with Toews’ office before making any public statements that might “garner national media attention,” as the Star reported last year. To some, that looked like a gag option. Continued…