Hat's Off

Hat's off to everyone who participated in the blogburst to make sure the Court Challenges Program (CCP) stays dead. I'm just sorry, I never had a chance to participate earlier.

In September, the Conservative government made the decision to cut it's funding along with other questionable programs in an effort to save Canadian taxpayers $1 Billion. Now lawyers that benefited from the program and big labour have teamed up to try to resurrect the program. Let's hope the program stays dead.

When the program was in effect, Canada probably had the most schizophrenic law making procedure of any developed democracy. Here's the system briefly:

1. Bill presented to House of Commons for first reading.
2. Bill debated and voted on by H of C.
3. Bill sent to committee.
4. Bill debated and voted on by committee.
5. Bill presented to H of C for second reading.
6. Bill sent to committee.
7. Bill debated and voted on by committee.
8. Bill presented to H of C for Third reading.
9. Bill presented to Senate.
10. Bill debated and voted on by Senate.
11. Bill presented to Governor General or Queen for Royal Assent.
12. Royal Assent Given.
13. Heavy Criticism of new law by activist groups opposed to democracy.
14. Anti-Democracy activists challenge law with high priced lawyers funded by taxpayers.
15. Half hearted defence mounted by government with high priced lawyers funded by taxpayers.
16. Activist judges overrules Parliament, strike down law, or rewrite law.
17. Media chides politicians and Canadians for ever making the law in the first place.

With any luck, the death of the court challenges program will mean the end of the last few steps (13 - 17 in red) of our schizophrenic law making process.

Again, hat's off to all the courageous bloggers to raise the issue. BTW, if you live in Canada and haven't yet got involved, it's not too late to contact your MP and congratulate them on the decision.