Opposition parties object to postponement of Parliament

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper has decided to shut down Parliament for two months, a move swiftly condemned by opposition parties as a way to halt investigations into the torture of Afghan detainees.

A new speech from the throne is set to occur on March 3, 2010, followed by a new federal budget on March 4, said Dimitri Soudas, Harper's spokesman, on Wednesday.

The session had been set to resume on Jan. 25.

The decision to prorogue Parliament is up to Canada's Governor General Michaelle Jean, on the advice of the prime minister.

Soudas said Harper and Jean spoke by phone Wednesday but said he could not give out any details about their private conversation.

The new session has been billed as a way to focus on repairing the country's economy.

"Our priority in the new session of Parliament will continue to be rapid and effective implementation of Canada's Economic Action Plan to benefit communities, workers and businesses," Harper said, in a written statement. "We are already looking ahead to future challenges. These include restoring a balanced budget once our economy is fully recovered and building a strong foundation for our economic future."

But critics have accused Harper of proroguing Parliament to silence inquiries into the possible torture of Afghan detainees by Canadian soldiers.

"This is beyond arrogant," said Liberal party house leader Ralph Goodale. "It really does border upon despotic behaviour. The only objective here is to muzzle Parliament."

Harper's decision will disband the Special Committee on Afghanistan, currently examining allegations of the torture of detainees.

Harper will have the chance to appoint five new Conservative senators, creating a Conservative majority in the upper house when Parliament resumes.

The move also kills any pending legislation, including tough new Conservative bills on consumer product safety and harsher sentences for drug traffickers. The Conservative government plans to reintroduce these bills in their original forms.

Soudas said the accusation of an Afghan detainee coverup has no merit.

"The committee... has found absolutely no evidence of wrongdoing by Canadian soldiers, diplomats and the armed forces," he said.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said the decision is a way for the government to escape answering "tough questions."

"The decision to prorogue is about one thing and one thing only - avoiding the scrutiny of Parliament at a time when this government is facing tough questions about their conduct in covering up the detainee scandal," Ignatieff said in a written statement.

"I'm pretty appalled," said NDP house leader Libby Davies. "We have to ask the question, what is he trying to hide? Does he have information that he doesn't want the Canadian public to know about before the Olympics?"

In a written statement, Bloc Quebecois house leader Michel Guimond said Harper had no legitimate reason to suspend Parliament and the decision constitutes an affront to democracy.

The throne speech in March will be the third speech from the Conservatives since they came to power.

Each new session begins with a speech from the throne and Parliaments, on average, see three or four throne speeches, Soudas said.

"Some Parliaments have heard as many as six or seven throne speeches," he said.

The average number of throne speeches per Parliament, since confederation, is 3.6, Soudas said.