Globe and Mail: PMO has too much power, poll finds

[tuvor]

Stephen Harper says the Senate needs reform, but more Canadians think it's the Prime Minister's Office that has too much power.

With the Commons shut from December till March because Mr. Harper prorogued Parliament, a new poll shows 42 per cent of Canadians think the power of the PMO should be trimmed.

The survey, conducted by Nanos Research, finds Canadians retain the long-standing feeling that the Senate has more power than it deserves. But there's more concern about the Prime Minister's Office.

“It's not just the usual suspects,” said pollster Nik Nanos. “There are more Canadians that think the office of the prime minister is one of the parts of our democracy that requires a second look.”

...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/pmo-has-too-much-power-poll-finds/article1478681/

[Lucy Goosey]

1. This is good news

The PMO having too much power isn't good news of course, but Canadians being aware of the fact that the PMO has too much power is a good thing.

[HeresyLives]

2. S'okay if you don't have an abusive PM

who gets carried away, but I think Harper's middle name is 'abusive'.

[Spazito]

3. If Parliament changed the language regarding proroguing...

to spell out when it can be used and when it CANNOT, I think that would go along way to reigning in the abuse practiced by harper and his cabal. Canadians did not seem to have an issue with the PMO until the proroguing power was abused so Parliament should start by limiting that power, imo.

[HeresyLives]

4. Yeah, proroguing is routine.

Unless it's being used to avoid a lawful order of Parliament, like in this case.