One of the most controversial subjects in the Canadian politics is the fairly recent prorogation of parliament. Today as I went on the Hill so my wife could check her e-mail I stumbled on the anti-prorogation rally.
One of the first voices I heard was the voice of a woman talking about democracy and making anti-Harper statements. "I know Stephen Harper is in Ottawa so maybe if we shout loud enough he can hear us." She led them in shouting, "No!" As I heard these words something in my heart and stomach was rattled. Like the feeling when you're going to be sick. I don't know what it was.
After my wife checked her e-mail we stepped back into the brisk yet sunny Ottawa cold to the sound of Jack Layton speaking in broken French. I made out that he is drafting an anti-prorogation bill to limit the powers of the Prime Minister to prorogue parliament.
This rally reminded me of everything I hate about politics, eventhough there are other aspects that I love. I hate that there is no absolute truth and truth is subject to public opinion, the media's opinion, and the party's opinion. I hate that issues are politicized and that the people are caught in the middle and are often used as puppets.
Citizens all around the world have issues with their government. The control of information and the media by the governments in China and North Korea. Certain African governments stealing from the people, getting rich while the people get poorer. In Zimbabwe if you speak against the government you go missing. A few Middle Eastern governments oppress women in the name of religion. In Canada our government prorogues parliament... Pause and think about that. When you compare the issues we have to face with our government compared to other nations, prorogation doesn't seem that bad.
I have come to the conclusion that people just don't like our Prime Minister, whether on Parliament Hill, in the media or in the public. Either that or people are just misinformed. I had a discussion with a family member who said, "This is undemocratic. This has never been done before". Although the experts can't seem to agree on the exact number, parliament has been prorogued over 100 times in Canadian history. How soon have we forgotten that Jean Chretien prorogued parliament four times during his time as PM. In The Leader-Post, Larry Schneider provides us with these dates- February 5, 1996; September 18, 1999; September 16, 2002; and November. 12, 2003 (http://www.leaderpost.com/opinion/Chretien+also+prorogued/2431020/story.html). On one of those occasions it was to avoid receiving a report from Sheila Fraser on the sponsorship scandal.
Stephen Harper is only using an age old political maneouvre used even by his most recent predecessors who are now in the Opposition. If people want to say that proroguing parliament is undemocratic that's up for discussion, but let's not say that our PM is undemocratic when the parties who've been able to get into power have done the same. I wonder if the NDP were elected to govern our country for any stretch time if they would prorogue parliament; if they would see it as a useful tool. It's easy to judge from the sidelines. The NDP has never governed our country, but have a lot to say about what the Government should be doing.
I'll conclude with a thought I had this week about freedom of speech. Everyday I see e-mails from people who are upset about prorogation, whose letters include all kinds of four-letter words and offensive names about our leaders. Freedom of speech is not only a right, but a privilege. In fact freedom of any kind is both a right and a privilege.
You have countries at both sides of the extreme. You have some countries where the government doesn't let you say anything and you have others where you can say whatever you want, even if it's offensive. I'm sure citizens in those oppressive countries would appreciate an ounce of the liberties we have, especially the liberty to express ones' self. Canada, let's not abuse that right.
I believe that everybody should be held accountable for their actions, from leaders to citizens to corporations. But I also believe that freedom of speech should be coupled with grace and tactfulness. In some marriages you have people who think that the way to be heard is to yell. I remember telling my wife that there's a way that she could speak to me, meaning with grace and humility, that has the power to dissarm me and have me do whatever she wants.
Looking back at the rally today, I'm asking myself if this is what we want to teach our children. When you don't like something yell and throw a tantrum, because that's what I saw. If fact, when we as parents, who are the Government in our homes, do something our children don't like and they yell and throw a tantrum we either give them a slap or put them in the corner. The next time your child throws a tantrum ask yourself if you do the same thing with the leaders in your life (i.e. your boss, pastor or Government). In your kingdom called the Smith Residence, where you are the Prime Minister, does your child have "freedom of speech"? Can they use four-letter words to describe how they're feeling or call you offensive names? Probably not. If your child came to you yelling and throwing a tantrum you probably wouldn't listen to them although they would get your attention. But on the other hand if they came to you respectfully, expressing their feelings or desires you'd be more likely to respond favourably. The truth is the so-called democracy many are seeking in Canada doesn't even exist in their homes. Freedom of speech is a privilege. Let's not abuse it.
"He that is without sin among you, let him be first to cast a stone." John 8:7
Kevin
Entrepreneur. Minister. Administrator.
www.businesschurchpolitics.ca
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12 comments:
Hardly a big rally. The fact that it exists shows that proroguing is no big threat to democracy. Do we see cops arresting anyone? These mis-guided souls are free to speak on a nice day for a winter walk. The CBC listens, but not the rest of us.
Good post. You bring real perspective to this issue.
The rights of these people to act like idiots, is why I am a Conservative. Let them behave like uninformed radicals, let them rant and form stupid Face book sites that are full of uninformed Canadians. No problem.
However when a media body that I am FORCED to support with my tax dollar becomes an enabler, I am not going to sit in an idling position.
This must be stopped, dead in it's tracks and I am suggesting that we form a RID OUR COUNTRY OF CBC website.
Those of us that are mature and understand democracy and the Constitution, will actually JOIN face book to get rid of THAT garbage, guaranteed. What a pox on reality and intellectual journalism that group of tax leeching entitled ones are on Canadians. Disgusting!
Your comment about spoiled children throwing a tantrum rings very true. That is what this is about...they aren't getting their way, they stamp their feet and yell and scream and threaten to leave home.
Thanks for the insightful post!
I find it quite telling that while screaming that Harper has crushed democracy..they're demonstrating feely without interference? Kind of ridiculous. Lizzie's speach was very welcomed also. What a hysterical basket case. The gift that keeps on giving. Iggy puffing out his chest and talking like he's God's gift to us all was making me gag a bit. Apparently the Great Canadian Nation as a whole is just not that mad about this. Go figure..
This prorogue issue is a problem. Canada would rightfully criticize another country if its government shut down its parliamentary body in the face of controversial issues.
Shut down for 17 working days...geesh..get a grip! Democracy is alive and well. Don't worry. The controversies will return in full bloom March 3rd and then your shaken up little world will continue on its merry way. You can resume your endless and ever more shrill screams for Harper's head. He's such a beast isn't he? Don't worry..you can boot him out, but you won't.
Sort of similar to all those people squalking about a 'coup' a year ago. Maybe everybody needs to get a grip.
The argument that other people in the world have things worse than we do, so we should just shut up is the sort of rationale that Harper counts on.
Our democracy has been thwarted by Harper's actions, and that is unacceptable. Do we need to wait until Harper and his gang instill a Christian Taliban in Canada before we stand up?
It seems to me that the time to fight against an undemocratic government is before the democracy is dead.
There is absolutely no point in expecting to have a civil dialogue with such closed minds. Democracy is in danger when 1 person can shut down our governing body, which is Parliament, not the MP from Saskatchewan who assumes absolute control over his ministers, the House, and soon the Senate. Anywhere else this would be called a dictatorship. I am a proud Canadian and I will scream and yell if I have to when the leader of my country imposes his will on my rights and those of my fellow citizens and chief among those rights is to be represented by an elected member in the House of Commons.So, Kevin, you may have instructed your wife how to speak to you in order to get what she wants, but we have a Prime Minister who listens to no one but himself.
So let me get this straight: if a right-wing extremist anywhere else in the world, single-handedly closes their legislature to shut down torture investigations or bully critics into silence, we rightly call it a dictatorship. But according to you, when the same thing happens in Canada everything's fine?
How did someone as dumb as you, even get through high school?
These last few comments prove exactly what I was saying about a lack of tact and grace. If you read closely I said that EVERYONE, whether leaders, citizens and corporations should be held accountable, so I wasn't making the point that you should say nothing if you don't agree with something. The point I was making is that there is a mature way to express yourself and an immature way. Notice I didn't resort to name calling like you did; this is the way that children act.
It's funny that Stephen Harper is a "right-wing extremist" for proroging parliament, but Jean Chretien wasn't. Jean Chretian was trying to hide way more than our current Prime Minister.
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