Harper stands alone in abuse of prorogation power

Stephen Harper stands alone among Westminster-style peers when it comes to using prorogation to shut down Parliament for pure political gain, according to Richard Foote in the Sunday Citizen. No other English-speaking nation with a system of government like ours -- not Britain, Australia or New Zealand -- has ever had its parliament prorogued in modern times, so that its ruling party could avoid an investigation, or a vote of confidence, by other elected legislators.

Robert Hazell, the director of the prestigious Constitution Unit at the University College of London observes, "No other parliament has been prorogued in recent times to rescue the government from a political difficulty."

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/parliamentary+league/2451388/story.html