The Gander, The Goose
Go ahead, shoot me. It gets my ire up to even contemplate the stark incompetency of it all. We The Taxpayer are the country's repository of every potential. Which is to say, in my awkward way (I know, I should've been a poet) without the funds generated by the taxes imposed upon that great protesting proletariate that makes up this country the gears would get stuck, nothing would run, right?Yes, we do, in our democtric country have the illusion of making choices. We, in our great and diverse wisdom assist in the election of chief governing officers and their retinue, be they at the municipal, provincial or federal level. Elections are called, the politicians of every stripe profer their earnestly unbelievable platforms and we make our unfortunate decisions. And, when things go really awry, it is downright next to impossible to find someone, anyone, who will admit to having voted for that particular government in bad, very bad odour.
Still, there is the illusion, and we accept it. And there is this large, very governable, prosperous and free country. Which we are so very fortunate to inhabit. And which, when we become, from time to time, sufficiently irate about the state of its internal governing capacity, can become precious indeed when we view the alternatives outside our borders. We are indeed a proud country comprised of multifarious groupings from east to west, north to south, sea to sea to sea.
We have been undeniably enriched by our huge immigrant population. This country is, indeed, a country of immigrants. The two founding constituents of which come immediately to mind. Followed, guiltily and in haste, by this country's original native inhabitants. It is, however, the French-English divide that has guided this country through its formation to the present time. Our grudging acceptance to live together as though in true consanguinty has served us well.
But even siblings come to blows from time to time, and we have also accepted that.
What becomes more and more difficult to accept, however, is that one venerable, respected, lively and dominant member of this family fulminates against this ancient alliance, demanding to be recognized as master of its own house. They don't want to move out necessarily, just to move on. They deem the time ripe for a friendly divorce; the rest of the family resists. Still, they're not averse to receiving their share and more than their share of the housekeeping money. It's like being bit in the arse continually by a little asp you keep as a pet, and never suspect that it really dislikes you for your lack of regard of its true stature. (There, there.)
Which is why I and so many others like me, taxpaying citizens all, reasonably integrated into the mainstream of All Things Canadian, feel no little amount of consternation and yes lots of resentment at the fact that our tax dollars are spent lavishly on the upkeep of an avowedly separatist party in the House of Commons. I know all about bending backwards, and it's very nice that we're sufficiently supple to be able to achieve that little feat, but what is the point? Blackmail by sedition?
But it certainly sets a precedent. Here goes: A federal government employee is fired because she works for Heritage Canada which department among other things, attempts to raise the appreciation level of the French fact in other parts of Canada. However, this government employee, name of Edith Gendron, who never made any secret of her affiliation with the separatist movement, saw nothing morally questionable in pushing the government's course in interdependence within the country by day, and by night pursuing the course of independence.
She was fired in 2004 after having been elected president of the group Quebec un Pays whose sole reason for existence is the pursuit of separation. So the woman is morally bankrupt; she does the government's work for the excellent paycheque, and sees nothing ironic about the fact that despite this she insists the Province of Quebec is its own, independent country. A nice affiliation with Canada would be perfectly acceptable and then she could continue to enrich herself with her government paycheque. Why not? After all, this is just exactly what the province itself is aiming for.
What's this? She challenged her dismissal, filing a grievance supported by the PSAC. Now there's a morally challenged group, too. During the recent federal election, after all, they saw the brilliant utility of endorsing separatist candidates. If that isn't a head-scratcher what is? A public service union that represents government employees throughout the entire country finding just cause with separatists because, they say, individual candidates' platforms more closely parallel their way of thinking. Indeed.
The pain of it. And how very Canadian. Forbearance. Slap me again. An adjudicator, although noting the iniquity of this woman's politically challenged life, ruled that Heritage Canada must find a position for this woman and has also awarded her two years of retroactive back pay.
Our tax dollars.
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, March 14, 2006
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