A Critical Opposition? Imagine that.

Canadian Parliament resumes today, which should provide Canadians with yet more reasons to ignore their politicians. An article on the CBC webpage caught my eye this morning, discussing issues the Prime Minister will have to deal with this week.

It was a fairly predictable news bit. Harper's going to face questions on Afghanistan prisoner transfers, Mulroney, the economy, the upcoming budget...oh, and I'm sure that whole "nuclear" thing will be brought up as well. What caught my eye was the line "The latest snafu has left Opposition MPs very critical of the government."

Well. Imagine that. An Opposition MP, actually doing his or her job, being critical of the governing Conservatives. It's about time, is all I have to say.

When the Liberals held a minority government, the Tories gleefully kept them teetering on the brink of collapse (though, to be honest, the Liberals didn't do much to help themselves) questioning every move, every motion, every proposal. That's what opposition parties are supposed to do.

Yet here we are, two years into a minority government that has, from day once, arrogantly strutted about like they held a majority. What do the opposition parties do? Whine and complain until the Tories call their bluff. Don't like what we're doing? Okay then, force an election.

But, whine the Liberals, Canadians don't want an election. That may have been true a year ago, but not now. The truth is that the opposition parties don't want an election. They are weak and they know it.

Where does that leave us? Watching the Conservatives do what they do best.