On defining roles

For all the talk about the national anthem diversion in the Cons' throne speech, much of the discussion seems to have missed what looks to me the most important point about the passage. Here's what the Cons had to say about the national anthem:

Our Government will also ask Parliament to examine the original gender-neutral English wording of the national anthem.

On my review, that passage is one of exactly three in the throne speech which involves a reference to Parliament doing anything at all in the upcoming session. And the other two are little if at all more substantive, referring to rubber-stamping free trade deals and freezing office spending.

In contrast, everything to do with meaningful policy issues in the throne speech is phrased solely in terms of "Our Government". And from the Cons' post-speech spin, they in fact plan to distance themselves from any discussion about the national anthem:

The Conservative government said in Wednesday’s throne speech it will ask Parliament to examine the original wording of the anthem. Officials said later a parliamentary committee will study whether the phrase “In all thy sons command” should be changed to “Thou dost in us command,” which the Prime Minister’s Office says is the wording from the original version.

Harper aide Andrew MacDougall said the government does not have a view on the change.

Of course, it was the government that chose to incorporate the possible change in its throne speech - making it absurd to claim that it doesn't have any interest one way or the other.

But from my standpoint, the most significant part of the phrase is its effect on the obvious standoff between Parliament and the executive. By dividing up the speech so starkly between banal matters which he wants to see in Parliament's hands and significant ones where he pretends Parliament doesn't matter, Harper is effectively telling the House of Commons to bugger off and do some songwriting or something so that he can rule the country without opposition.

Needless to say, the response from all elected representatives - but particularly the opposition - should be that Harper doesn't tell Parliament what to do, and that they won't be that easily distracted from their job of holding the government to account. And if the Cons want to put any substantial amount of their energy into a national anthem committee, then so much the better for the opposition's chances of making headway on the issues that really affect Canadians.

Edit: fixed wording.