document setting out what members of Parliament believed their powers to be, December 1640, ending with: that dissolving of Parliaments suddaynly without redressing the greivances Complayned of is a great greivance

Almost 400 years ago a man of kingly status, and with kingly ambitions, dissolved a freely-elected parliament when it crossed his purposes. Seven years later Charles II really lost his head - on the block.

This week an unelected chief manager of government, with the help of his monarch's regent, effectively dissolved another parliament which had proved intractable to his will. Stephen Harper's fate is yet to be determined.

We may allow for the possibility that each man's decision had some element of worthy, or at least unselfish motives, but tyranny is tyranny - something too many of us on this side of our northern border still have trouble understanding.

Finally, while we have no wish to see Mr. Harper separated from his head, we might fairly hope for the speedy removal from office of his whole person.

[image from learningcurve]