Harper's antics: The concise and detailed versions

Well, one knows of the importance of the spirit of the law. All languages are inherently imprecise, and different people often interpret words differently. This is why there is such a thing as "legalese": it attempts to make language as precise as possible. Still, people are inherently flawed, and even the best attempts at removing all ambiguity often leave holes that can be exploited by those who are unscrupulous.

This is the argument of this open letter, signed by 175 academics, with regards to the repeated prorogation of Parliament by Harper. Legal, but not in the spirit of the system. One person should not hold so much power over the only elected body on the federal level of government.

For those looking for a much longer (yet still incomplete) list of specific actions by the Conservatives, here are is one. (H/t to Dr. Dawg.)

Peace and long life.