Or as we say in English, "Same trough, different pigs!" Our new prime minister, Stephen Harper, took no time to break his trust with Canadians and demonstrate that once elected, he's just as capable of pork-barrel politics as his predecessors. His party took as a major policy issue the concept of accountability and ethics. Now, two weeks into his mandate, we see a strange change of colours!
Last spring, Harper bitterly denounced his former colleague, Belinda Stronach, for crossing the floor to the Liberals for a promised cabinet post. He castigated the Liberals for enticing her with a cabinet post. He publicized and denounced pseudo attempts by the Liberals to convince still other Tories to cross the floor. Today, he announces his new cabinet... and wonder of wonders, he has enticed a Liberal to cross the floor and join his cabinet! Quelle surprise!
Mr. Harper, along with his coterie of parties, Reform, Alliance, Conservative, have consistently denounced the practice of appointed senators as undemocratic. He has encouraged the development of elected senators and promised to honour the election of senators that currently takes place in his home province. Today, as he announces his new cabinet... he also announces the appointment of a new senator. One of the elected ones surely?! No, it is a Conservative party high-ranking official from Montreal. And not only that, he appoints him to cabinet! And not only that, he appoints him to one of the most free-spending roles in cabinet. The Senate, by law, cannot even get involved in spending issues, but now a senator is in charge of much spending! And he will not have to appear before the House to have his spending questioned.
Yes, I think we do have a problem of a democratic deficit!
Last spring, Harper bitterly denounced his former colleague, Belinda Stronach, for crossing the floor to the Liberals for a promised cabinet post. He castigated the Liberals for enticing her with a cabinet post. He publicized and denounced pseudo attempts by the Liberals to convince still other Tories to cross the floor. Today, he announces his new cabinet... and wonder of wonders, he has enticed a Liberal to cross the floor and join his cabinet! Quelle surprise!
Mr. Harper, along with his coterie of parties, Reform, Alliance, Conservative, have consistently denounced the practice of appointed senators as undemocratic. He has encouraged the development of elected senators and promised to honour the election of senators that currently takes place in his home province. Today, as he announces his new cabinet... he also announces the appointment of a new senator. One of the elected ones surely?! No, it is a Conservative party high-ranking official from Montreal. And not only that, he appoints him to cabinet! And not only that, he appoints him to one of the most free-spending roles in cabinet. The Senate, by law, cannot even get involved in spending issues, but now a senator is in charge of much spending! And he will not have to appear before the House to have his spending questioned.
Yes, I think we do have a problem of a democratic deficit!
1 comment:
C'est la vie!
Perhaps it is time for a different type of government?
History would support the fact that governing bodies and methods tend to change and we are changing at a fast pace then ever before in history...
So what changes lie ahead for democracy?
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