Do the present parliamentary problems put Canada's future in peril
The House of Commons Question Period is suddenly worth watching except for the usual childish cheering after every speaker presents or answers a question. Although the members from all sides act like schoolchildren such action by kids would probably result in disciplinary action. The tradition is almost as old as parliament and would take a new act or regulation to change.
It’s difficult to decide at this point in mid-November 2013 whether the Senate scandal combined with the RCMP investigation of the Duffy/Wright affair will fade into obscurity. Maybe Canadians can look forward to another Rob Ford type of fiasco that the media will chase to report as newsworthy while keeping parliament from serving the country’s real needs. Listen to the conversation in any Tim Horton’s or for that matter any other meeting place and everyone reflects being fed up with every level of government. The Federal Conservatives are acting like spoiled kids refusing to answer questions or offer parliamentary programs. Every question from the opposition is avoided or answered with an attack based on another subject usually mired in the past. The provinces are rudderless since most depend on Federal funding to initiate needed programs and the government is not prone to meeting the Premiers to discuss anything that isn’t aimed at the politics that might lead to another majority government. Canada seems to have arrived at the pinnacle of good government and economic prosperity and can probably only look forward to a sharp decline in the standard of living in the near future.
The fault is the voters for electing a majority government based on promises the ruling party apparently never intended to keep. Maybe in principle Harper intended to follow a path more idealistic that the one that transpired. Canadians throughout history trust statements that our leaders make but are not traditionally forgiving if promises are not kept. A good example was the Kim Campbell Conservative government that suffered the most humiliating defeat ever witnessed in Canada after the Mulroney government failed to live up to voter expectation. The Chretien Liberal government had to face investigations and accusations of misusing taxpayer money. The Liberals also suffered the greatest defeat the party ever likely endured by losing even opposition status in the House.
Senators connected to every party are continuously accused of misdeeds. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford feeding the international media with regard to a misadventure to say the least and the ongoing list of Montreal mayors on trial for stealing and influence pedaling is reason for a closer look at the Canadian political scene. Many politicians of every stripe it seems are prone to feeling election success translates into a license to improve one’s personal financial stability at the expense of the taxpayer. Sooner or later change is inevitable.
New Democrat Thomas Mulcair is without a doubt an accomplished orator and deserves the mantle of Opposition Leader. Whether the New Democratic Party is strong enough to retain the seats needed to remain the official opposition is questionable in most quarters. Justin Trudeau currently riding a wave of popularity from young people and older voters still loyal to the Trudeau Liberal dynasty seems to be stumbling politically. That could lead to demise in popularity when combined with the tradition of young people neglecting to vote. It appears the crown prince of Trudeauism in the last century needs some guidance and possibly a team of experienced and possibly more mature advisers. With the 2015 Federal election on the fairly distant horizon it will be interesting to see if the traditional Conservative constant attack ads and avoiding answers to pertinent political questions will affect the polls and actual voting numbers for every party.
It’s difficult to decide at this point in mid-November 2013 whether the Senate scandal combined with the RCMP investigation of the Duffy/Wright affair will fade into obscurity. Maybe Canadians can look forward to another Rob Ford type of fiasco that the media will chase to report as newsworthy while keeping parliament from serving the country’s real needs. Listen to the conversation in any Tim Horton’s or for that matter any other meeting place and everyone reflects being fed up with every level of government. The Federal Conservatives are acting like spoiled kids refusing to answer questions or offer parliamentary programs. Every question from the opposition is avoided or answered with an attack based on another subject usually mired in the past. The provinces are rudderless since most depend on Federal funding to initiate needed programs and the government is not prone to meeting the Premiers to discuss anything that isn’t aimed at the politics that might lead to another majority government. Canada seems to have arrived at the pinnacle of good government and economic prosperity and can probably only look forward to a sharp decline in the standard of living in the near future.
The fault is the voters for electing a majority government based on promises the ruling party apparently never intended to keep. Maybe in principle Harper intended to follow a path more idealistic that the one that transpired. Canadians throughout history trust statements that our leaders make but are not traditionally forgiving if promises are not kept. A good example was the Kim Campbell Conservative government that suffered the most humiliating defeat ever witnessed in Canada after the Mulroney government failed to live up to voter expectation. The Chretien Liberal government had to face investigations and accusations of misusing taxpayer money. The Liberals also suffered the greatest defeat the party ever likely endured by losing even opposition status in the House.
Senators connected to every party are continuously accused of misdeeds. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford feeding the international media with regard to a misadventure to say the least and the ongoing list of Montreal mayors on trial for stealing and influence pedaling is reason for a closer look at the Canadian political scene. Many politicians of every stripe it seems are prone to feeling election success translates into a license to improve one’s personal financial stability at the expense of the taxpayer. Sooner or later change is inevitable.
New Democrat Thomas Mulcair is without a doubt an accomplished orator and deserves the mantle of Opposition Leader. Whether the New Democratic Party is strong enough to retain the seats needed to remain the official opposition is questionable in most quarters. Justin Trudeau currently riding a wave of popularity from young people and older voters still loyal to the Trudeau Liberal dynasty seems to be stumbling politically. That could lead to demise in popularity when combined with the tradition of young people neglecting to vote. It appears the crown prince of Trudeauism in the last century needs some guidance and possibly a team of experienced and possibly more mature advisers. With the 2015 Federal election on the fairly distant horizon it will be interesting to see if the traditional Conservative constant attack ads and avoiding answers to pertinent political questions will affect the polls and actual voting numbers for every party.
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