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Originally Posted by Charlatan
This vote was a waste of time.
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I disagree. While I think that this vote never needed to happen I don't think it was a waste of time. (note: there are plenty of other wastes of time in parlaiment)
It accomplished the following:
- Harper got the follow through with what he said he would do. I actually think this is a very important lesson for governments. If it was part of your platform then address it.
- Harper got to do it without opening up the conservatives to the backlash that would have happened had he had a majority and been able to push it through. He gets the best of both worlds satisfy his requirement for revisiting the issue and knowing it would fail he does not ahve to worry about the backlash.
- Some satisfaction to his constituents
- Some satisfaction to the more right members of the party
- Harper gains credibility for
- following through with what he promised
- not forcing his MPs to vote with him - announcing it first forcing the hand of the other parties to let their MPs vot as they wish
- Harper ends the issue on his terms
- The item is now removed from consideration we get to clearly move on
- The people were represented - one of the points made prior to this (when the Liberals handled it) is that it needs to go to the people.