---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the run-up to the election, Stephen…"
description: "\"“In the run-up to the election, Stephen Harper had rolled out the rhetoric on the need for clean and transparent government, expressing frustration wit..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad4/lawrence-martin-40750_canadian-politics_in-the-run-up-to-the-election-stephen-ha_2551203.jpg"
---

#  In the run-up to the election, Stephen Harper had rolled…

![“In the run-up to the election, Stephen Harper had rolled out the rhetoric on the need for clean and transparent government, expressing frustration with Paul Martin's Liberals over their alleged secrecy and obstructionism. "When a government starts trying to cancel dissent or avoid dissent," Harper…” quote by Lawrence Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad4/lawrence-martin-40750_canadian-politics_in-the-run-up-to-the-election-stephen-ha_2551203.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad4/lawrence-martin-40750_canadian-politics_in-the-run-up-to-the-election-stephen-ha_2551203.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad4/lawrence-martin-40750_canadian-politics_in-the-run-up-to-the-election-stephen-ha_2551203.jpg)

> ““In the run-up to the election, Stephen Harper had rolled out the rhetoric on the need for clean and transparent government, expressing frustration with Paul Martin's Liberals over their alleged secrecy and obstructionism. "When a government starts trying to cancel dissent or avoid dissent," Harper declared in a statement to be later viewed as notable for ironic content, "Is frankly when it is rapidly losing its moral authority to govern.””

[Lawrence Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-martin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

When a government suppresses dissent, it quickly loses moral legitimacy and the right to govern.

**In simple terms:** Silencing opposition erodes authority.

Key Takeaway

Protect free expression to maintain legitimacy.

Themes

politics ethics governance freedom authority

Mood

critical concerned

Type

political ethical

When to use this quote

- policy debates
- media relations
- public protests
- legislative oversight

Key Concepts

moral authority public trust civic responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- What mechanisms ensure dissent remains constructive?
- How can governments balance security and openness?

A Different Perspective

Assumes all dissent is constructive; some may be harmful.

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[Canadian-politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canadian-politics/) [Moral authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-authority/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Stephen-harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stephen-harper/)

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