What does Stephen Harper mean when he uses the word "consensus" as in,The Conservative government will not extend Canada's combat mission in Afghanistan beyond February 2009 without a consensus in Parliament, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday.Canadian Cynic has the answer. [Hint: Harper doesn't mean what you think he means.]
"I will want to see some degree of consensus among Canadians on how we move forward on that," Harper told reporters Friday in Ottawa.
Harper uses consensus a bit like Harris used common sense. If you agree with Harper's position, which he will not change even in the face of new facts and evidence, then "WE" have consensus.
ReplyDeleteHarris' view of common sense was if you agreed with his view of the world and how to respond to it, you had someting in "common" which made "sense."
The built in and convenient tautology in all of this gets reinforced by the bullying leadership style and the cadre of Yes-men in both "leaders" Cabinets.
Harper's probationary period as PM is over. Time for an election.