Oh, Canada!

[houseisland]

Good for Liberals, bad for Conservatives?

No. Generally bad and bad. But each instance needs to be considered case by case.

The modern use of prorogation of this kind is generally for extraordinary circumstances. I just don't see any such circumstances at present.

There is a history of use/misuse of the provision, the misuse in political desperation. The information below, found on the web, is somewhat suspect since Trudeau did not become Prime Minister, until 20 April 1968. Still it does show however inaccurately that there is a history of its use by both the Liberals and the Conservatives.

26th Parliament Trudeau 1963/12/21,1965/4/3
27th Parliament Trudeau 1967/5/8
28th Parliament Trudeau 1969/10/22,1970/10/7,1972/2/16
29th Parliament Trudeau 1974/2/26
30th Parliament Trudeau 1976/10/12,1977/10/17,1978/10/10,1983/11/30

33rd Parliament Mulroney1986/8/28
34th Parliament 1989/2/28,1991/5/12

35th Parliament Chretien1996/2/2
36th Parliament 1999/9/18
37th Parliament 2002/9/16,2003/11/12

39th Parliament Harper 2007/9/14
40th Parliament 2008/12/4


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It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!

[houseisland]

Further clarification on prorogation: http://www.law-faqs.org/wiki/index.p..._of_Parliament

From which:

So is the prorogation of December 2009 to March 2010 legal?

Yes. .......

Has the prorogation of Parliament ever before been used for purposes other than the standard one [normal breaks between sessions]? Only twice.

1988 Brian Mulroney .......

1873 Sir John A. MacDonald...


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It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!