The Canadian Parliamentary Opposition
Truly, they're a rather sad, pathetic group. Let's see, there's the Bloc, not a political group that represents the country's interests by any means, but rather fixated on ancient insults and a dogged determination to become a nation unto itself, not a mere Province within a federation. Quebec can never bleed the rest of Canada sufficiently to satisfy its ambitions as a State with inalienable rights, with links to the larger State, although many disgusted taxpayers would like to offer them the opportunity to give it a try.Then there's the New Democratic Party, truly a party with a proud tradition, a gallery of memorable historical individuals who made possible, through their insistence on a Canada-wide social conscience, much of the social policy that Canadians are so proud of. Alas, their relevance has been dreadfully diminished over the past three decades through the poor performance of its leaders, and the wackiness of its social policies, big on social correctness at the price of intelligent discourse and rational, pragmatic decision making. Too self-important in its idealogical orientation. Burdened by the unbalanced statements and behaviours of many of its members.
Let's not forget the rightful heirs to Canadian governance, the thoroughly discredited Liberals. They've done more than their share of harm to the Canadian collective. The level of their incompetent management of the country, their obligations to big business, their holier-than-thou attitude while draining the public purse in a lamentable series of mismanaged ventures that benefitted friends and supporters of the Liberal party made them as unpopular in Canadian public opinion as the previous Progressive Conservative government which left in similar disarray with the public scorning their feeding at the public trough as well. Arrogance and self-entitlement, we've had more than sufficient of that diet to last a lifetime.
And then there is the newcomers to Canadian politics, the Green Party whose mandate has been extended from the environment to include business and other nitty-gritty affairs Canadian. They too, like the Liberals, are in pursuit of a new leader, one with vision and accomplished background who will lead this new party to some kind of parliamentary presence which has thus far eluded them. They deserve to get a break in upcoming elections, whenever they happen to fall, if only to give the NDP and the Liberals a bit of a run for their money, since they now espouse similar platforms, and perhaps have the sincerity of purpose to follow through on some of them, having not yet become thoroughly tainted as have the others.
Oops, there's the new Conservative Party, an amalgam of Reform/Alliance-Progressive Conservatives, a suspicious and inauspicious melding of right-of-centre parties if ever there was one. With a new leader, a hitherto untried policy wonk, a high-intelligence, low-empathy, utterly uncharismatic man who has, incredibly, become someone whose word is to be respected. Canadians remain suspicious with respect to the full agenda of this new, minority government, hoping against hope to be delivered into a majority government at the earliest opportunity.
I never, ever thought I would think it, say it, believe it, but this new government in its short mandate has done more to give many Canadians confidence in the future, pride in being Canadian, hope for the eventual well-being of more Canadians than ever before, than his predecessors of whom far more was expected. His resolute style, thoughtful manner, intelligent demeanor and decision-making have earned him points, deservedly. He has much to prove about himself, his party, his cabinet, his intentions for the future of Canada. But in the interim he has accomplished much that is to his credit, and to ours as well.
Heaven only knows where we go from here.
posted by Pieface @ Friday, August 04, 2006
<< Home