The party is not the government

Errol Mendes, a professor of constitutional and international law at the University of Ottawa, lays out the ethical conflicts the Conservatives have created here. It is a very good piece and there is not much to add. But there is a juicy quote (MEIB):

The most important principle at stake in the allegations is to reinforce the point that governing parties, even though they control the levers of governmental authority and taxpayers' monies are still private interests. If we come to accept that such parties can be regarded as one and the same as the government of the country, we are heading for a very disturbing undermining of Canadian democracy.

The countries that have conflated the governing party with the government of the country include the People's Republic of China, Zimbabwe and Sudan.

Something to think about for anyone out there considering switching their vote to Harper based on a poorly sung Beatles cover. You might have to hear it all day every day.

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