"...sit down and shut up."

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On March 23, 2013] Brian Lilley, of Sun News TV, reports something interesting in a recent blog post. Motion M-408, in the House of Commons, was an initiative by pro-life MPs to address what they saw as the possibility of people using ultrasounds pursue abortions when babies would be born of the wrong sex. As Lilley mentions, a procedural group of the House has decided that the motion cannot be discussed by the House as the matters that would be discussed are properly matters relating to provincial powers. [Not so. If that was the case why did the House vote von Motion M-312 and why does Canada have a federal health minister at all?] Lilley, for his part argues that this is a smokescreen. Rather, it is Harper's brains trust using their power to tell pro-lifers to "sit down and shut up". Any implication that Harper is a so-con eager to impose his agenda, he further argues, is wrong. I wouldn't argue that, as Harper has been quoted as saying in a caucus meeting not that pro-life legislation is wrong, but rather that this is the wrong time for it. Rather, a lot of political considerations, namely their need to keep on winning elections, are coming into play. There is one point that I would like to make, though. The Faytene Grasseschis of the world are making the point that if conservatives just stand up to be counted, as in one instance she explained at length in one sermon that I blogged about earlier, they can bend politicians like Stephen Harper to their will. Dominionism rules! A different version of this sermon, saying much the same thing, was distributed by The Elijah List as one of their "message of the month" MP3s. If pro-lifers see a moral urgency for legislation, they should certainly give it a try. But, as Lilley might note, they have to ask themselves whether certain things may seem futile for the time being. Faytene may want to consider dropping that example. At least in Canada, her listeners have to think "Given what is happening, can what she is talking about ever happen again?" If I were to offer some friendly advice--she would want, one hopes, to be passionate, and sensible, at the same time.