More than politics, this is a national crisis

[Scape]

By JAMES LAXER

 

[Scape]

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By JAMES LAXER

Tuesday, April 26, 2005 Page A21Key

The leaders of all three opposition parties insist that what Canadians face is a crisis of the Liberal Party, not a national crisis. Formally, they are right. The sordid spectacle at the Gomery inquiry has exposed deep corruption at the heart of the regime of former prime minister Jean Chrétien.

The problem is that the imminent demise of the Liberal Party and government will trigger a fundamental national crisis that has been implicit in the structure of Canadian politics since 1993. Since the federal election of that year, Canadian political parties have been divided into two essential groups. First, there are the parties of what we can call the "Canadian system," the Liberals and the NDP. These parties broadly support the present division of powers between Ottawa and the provinces and, with some important disagreements, the present role of government with respect to social programs, higher education and the environment. They even agree, more than they like to admit, on foreign policy. Then, there are the parties of radical decentralization, the Conservatives (much more the descendant of the Reform Party and the Canadian Alliance than of the old Progressive Conservatives) and the Bloc Québécois.

An immediate federal election, with Canadians fixated on the sponsorship scandal, is almost certain to put the federal government and Canadian politics squarely in the hands of the two parties of radical decentralization.

Despite his effort to moderate its image, Stephen Harper and his party are committed to a dramatic reduction of the role of Ottawa in Confederation. Their pledge to implement massive tax cuts and a major increase in defence spending can only be managed through a steep reduction of federal spending on health care, social transfers, higher education and culture. The Conservatives would certainly allow the provinces to open the door to a much larger role for the private sector in the delivery of health care. They would halt any move toward a publicly operated national child-care system. They would end Canada's commitment to the Kyoto accord. They would sign on to George W. Bush's missile-defence initiative and would take Canada down the road to continental integration on immigration and refugee policy. They would support the conversion of NAFTA into a customs union and would favour an energy and resources deal that would designate Canadian resources as continental resources. Fully aware that Canadians don't favour this agenda, Stephen Harper is seizing the opportunity presented by the Liberal Party's scandal to attain power.

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For his part, Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe is the Jekyll and Hyde of Canadian politics. Most days Mr. Duceppe is a Doctor Jekyll who wants a clean political system and progressive policies for the country. That is until a crisis arises that will provide him with winning conditions in his crusade to lead Quebec out of Confederation. The demise of the Liberals will take Mr. Duceppe a long way toward his goal. After sweeping almost all Quebec ridings in a federal election, Mr. Duceppe can replace the unpopular Bernard Landry as Parti Québécois leader. From there, his sights would be set on wresting power in the next Quebec election from the even more unpopular Jean Charest. In the persona of Mr. Hyde, Mr. Duceppe would then launch a sovereignty referendum while Mr. Harper, his current collaborator in sacking the Liberals, is prime minister. While many Quebeckers would resist the siren call of separation, Mr. Duceppe's case would be greatly strengthened by the presence in Ottawa of a neo-conservative government with whom Quebeckers would have little sympathy.

Meanwhile, the parties of what I called the "Canadian system" are in disarray.

The Liberals are suffering the death of a thousand cuts, cuts being inflicted as much by Liberals themselves as by their adversaries. It falls to Paul Martin, a decent and honest, though not particularly progressive, political leader to staunch the wounds and save the great party of the Canadian centre. Whether he can turn the situation to his favour in the present mood of national disgust will depend on how clear he can be in presenting an agenda for the long-term renewal of the role Ottawa plays in the lives of Canadians. At best, it's a long shot.

Jack Layton, in the current imbroglio, is a deer caught in the headlights. The NDP is torn between the desire to join with the other two opposition parties in milking the scandal and a desire to force concessions from Mr. Martin to turn the minority parliament in a more progressive direction. The long-term NDP dream has always been to replace the Liberals so that New Democrats can become one of the country's two viable governing parties, along with the Conservatives. While the scandal provides New Democrats with the hope that they can win over disgusted Liberal voters, it also threatens to bring to office a leader who rejects everything the NDP holds dear. Mr. Layton says repeatedly that Canadians should vote for what they want rather than against what they fear. He wants Canadians to focus on the benefits of electing more New Democrats and not to worry about the threat posed by the parties of radical decentralization.

Canadians have every right to be disgusted by the spectacle that has emerged from the Gomery inquiry. They would be very shortsighted, however, to believe that this crisis is only about a corrupt governing party that has been in power for too long. Those who want to sustain the "Canadian system" need to find their voices, and their political imagination, before it is too late.

 

[Andem]

Thanks for posting that article, Scape. It definately puts things in their place and lays down exactly what is going on.

Nothing more to say but this country is screwed.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: More than politics, t

Judging by the deal that Layton and Martin struck yesterday, I think the NDP are finding their voice. They are also dragging the Liberals along with them.

The interesting is how the BQ is going to react. They've been fairly quiet, but the revised is something that they should support, given their platform.

More importantly, it is showing just how in the pocket of the big corporations Harper is. He's mad as hell about this, but the only song he can really sing is, "scandal, scandal, scandal." He's even telling lies now. He has referred to the Liberals as being, "under criminal investigation," several times. That's not true. Some ad executives are under criminal investigation. The Liberal Party is not. He also habitually refers to the Liberals as, "the most corrupt government in Canadian history." Sorry, but that distinction still belongs to Mulroney's government...check the numbers.

 

[mrmom2]

CIA plot to break up Canada So it will be easier to annex the parts they want You know the ones with oil and gas maybe water too

 

[MMMike]

:roll: :roll: Was this a paid political announcement by the Liberal Party? Was this really written by Paul Martin? Please... more garbage about the mysterious "hidden agenda" of Harpers and once again, the Liberals are the only party that can save the country. The Liberals have done more to damage national unity than any party in history with their one-off deals, pandering to Quebec, and now the sponsership program....

THROW THE BUMS OUT! :evil:

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: More than politics, t

I don't support the Liberals, MMMikey...especially with Paul Martin at the helm. I don't support witch hunts and lynch mobs either though, so I feel compelled to point out the truth. I never said anything about a hidden agenda, but I did point out that Harper seems to have a lot of trouble telling the truth.

 

[Scape]

Please... more garbage about the mysterious "hidden agenda" of Harpers and once again,

The agenda is party platform for the Conservatives and the Bloc want them to win as it will make their job much easier.

Let's review:

Stephen Harper and his party are committed to a dramatic reduction of the role of Ottawa in Confederation.
'Less government' (at least when it comes to social spending) is the cornerstone of the platform, nothing hidden there.

Their pledge to implement massive tax cuts and a major increase in defence spending can only be managed through a steep reduction of federal spending on health care, social transfers, higher education and culture.

The core of the last election platform was a proposed tax cut of approximately 25%: The income-tax cut would effectively create a single 16-per-cent tax bracket for incomes of up to $70,000, recalling previous Canadian Alliance proposals for a modified flat-tax. Rates in high-income brackets would remain unchanged.

The Conservatives would certainly allow the provinces to open the door to a much larger role for the private sector in the delivery of health care.Confirmed

They would halt any move toward a publicly operated national child-care system. That's a given along with the Gun registry.

They would end Canada's commitment to the Kyoto accord.True

They would sign on to George W. Bush's missile-defence initiative and would take Canada down the road to continental integration on immigration and refugee policy.A Conservative government would take any such proposals seriously and would subject them to a public debate and a vote in Parliament.

They would support the conversion of NAFTA into a customs union and would favour an energy and resources deal that would designate Canadian resources as continental resources.They have been doing that since FTA and FTAA will finish what Brian started.

So anything hidden?

 

[bluealberta]

MMMikey, excellent points, I too have a hard time finding anything hidden, extreme, or dangerous. Rev, given what was spewed by Jumpin Jack and Pretty Paul, it is very hard to seriously accuse Harper of not telling the truth. By the way, does anyone recall one of the Liberal ministers talking about something burning on lawns in Prince George, I believe? The conservatives have a long way to go to catch up to the standard of exaggerations set by the Liberals.

 

[Reverend Blair]

More importantly, it is showing just how in the pocket of the big corporations Harper is. He's mad as hell about this, but the only song he can really sing is, "scandal, scandal, scandal." He's even telling lies now. He has referred to the Liberals as being, "under criminal investigation," several times. That's not true. Some ad executives are under criminal investigation. The Liberal Party is not. He also habitually refers to the Liberals as, "the most corrupt government in Canadian history." Sorry, but that distinction still belongs to Mulroney's government...check the numbers.

Again, check the numbers. Perhaps even look at the facts. While you're at it, check what Canadians have consistently said are their priorities. Let me give you a clue...we like spending on social programs.

 

[bluealberta]

[
Again, check the numbers. Perhaps even look at the facts. While you're at it, check what Canadians have consistently said are their priorities. Let me give you a clue...we like spending on social programs.[/quote]

No, I do not think we like spending on social programs, but we do recognise there is a responsibility for some social programs, like most civilized countries do. By the way, saying that what Canadians want is the Liberal or socialist way of saying that if you disagree, you are somehow un-Canadian.

What would be nice is to have beneficial social programs that make sense, not useless programs that just take money, like the gun registry, which has proven to be totally useless, and the proposed national daycare, which would allow the Liberals to truly take care of you from cradle to grave. Social programs should provide a step up, but far too often, they have simply become a way of life that becomes so ingrained, that is it simply accepted, and discourages initiatives. For every program that provides some sort of subsidy, the cost of that program goes up. We would not need to provide a lot of subisdies if we were less taxed, providing us with more money in our own pockets to spend, instead of trusting it to the government, which has been proven to be wrong.

 

[Numure]

RE: More than politics, t

The only thing I agree with Conservatives on, is Decentralisation.

Cut every Federal Social program. And cut taxes accordingly. Then let the provinces that wish to pick up the slack, do so.

 

[Reverend Blair]

No, I do not think we like spending on social programs, but we do recognise there is a responsibility for some social programs, like most civilized countries do. By the way, saying that what Canadians want is the Liberal or socialist way of saying that if you disagree, you are somehow un-Canadian.

What I say is based on polls over the last twenty years, Blue. It is not my opinion, it is the result of long-term trends in many surveys. Does that make you unCanadian? Your call.

 

[Jo Canadian]

:lol: Standing back from it all, I seem to see a picture similar to this:

 

[bluealberta]

No, I do not think we like spending on social programs, but we do recognise there is a responsibility for some social programs, like most civilized countries do. By the way, saying that what Canadians want is the Liberal or socialist way of saying that if you disagree, you are somehow un-Canadian.

What I say is based on polls over the last twenty years, Blue. It is not my opinion, it is the result of long-term trends in many surveys. Does that make you unCanadian? Your call.

It is based on polls that are Central Canada based, and for the most part do not reflect the majority opinion west of there. Am I un-Canadian? 10 years ago, I would have postively said no, I am very Canadian. Now? I really don't know, but I do know that I think of myself as an Albertan first now, not Canadian first. My province has done more for me than my country has, so that is where I am at now. I would really like to change this, but not while the west has virtually no say in how this country operates. And I am not alone.

 

[MMMike]

Stephen Harper and his party are committed to a dramatic reduction of the role of Ottawa in Confederation.
'Less government' (at least when it comes to social spending) is the cornerstone of the platform, nothing hidden there.

He wants Ottawa to start respecting the divisions of power as set out in the Constitution. Education and health care are provincial jurisdiction, not federal. For Ottawa to dictate to the provinces how they will spend their money is unacceptable.

 

[mrmom2]

I can't beleave you guys think Harper will down size the goverment :lol: There isn't a politician on the face of the planet that will do that 8O You guys are living in a fantasy world HARPER IS A BILDERBERGER :roll: These people are trying to suck every dollar you have from you!WAKE UP :x

 

[Jay]

That sure isn't a reason to vote Liberal or NDP mrmom.

 

[mrmom2]

Do you know who they are Jay There the looters of countrys if thats not reason enuogh than what is?

 

[MMMike]

I can't beleave you guys think Harper will down size the goverment :lol: There isn't a politician on the face of the planet that will do that 8O You guys are living in a fantasy world HARPER IS A BILDERBERGER :roll: These people are trying to suck every dollar you have from you!WAKE UP :x

:lol: :lol: Just posted this on another thread! Who ever pledges to cut the government the most gets my vote.

I've been looking for a famous quotation, something about the "dead hand of government" - I can't find it. Rev, I don't think there is much that the government can do right. I don't care what color it is. It is completely rife with inefficiencies, bloated bureacracies that only serve themselves, it is unanswerable to anyone. It is incompetent and corrupt - a black hole sucking our money with little return. We need to shrink government down radically.