Canada – Home to a shameful political vacuum – politics-as-usual is killing us

Change Can Will Come

Since even before he declared himself as a candidate for the U.S. presidency, I’ve been following Barack Obama with great interest. Some things in particular about him stood out in my mind.

*His political independence.

*His intelligence.

*His apparent intuitive as well as intellectual understanding of history.

*His interest in and willingness to – engage directly with those who are perceived as America’s enemies.

*His genuine sense of patriotism, which was at odds with those advocated war instead of peace and which eventually led to an economic crisis.

These are all the essential qualities of the genuine leader. 

In addition, Obama has the ability to for say a lot in just a few words.

E.G. – at the current summit in Trinidad, he said, in reference to America’s old enemy, Cuba -:

“I didn’t come here to debate the past. I came here to think about the future.”

 ”I know there is a longer journey that must be traveled in overcoming decades of mistrust, but there are critical steps we can take toward a new day.”

This U.S. President presents himself as a man who wants to reach out. To communicate. To understand. To be a genuine representative of the people. 

Is he being honest and genuine? 

I believe he is.

Now Here Is The Canadian Rub

Obama must be puzzling to certain Canadians…like Stephen Harper for instance. Harper had burrowed so deeply into George W. Bush’s back pocket that he practically fainted every time Bush passed wind. Now Bush has been replaced by his polar opposite and Harper is scrambling as he O.D’s on fresh air.

Obama must also be puzzling to Michael Ignatieff, who promoted the war in Iraq, shilly-shallied around the issue of “permissible torture” and espoused views that were more in conformity with the Bush Administration, than with those of his own co-citizens. At the very moment that Obama was speaking out eloquently against the American invasion of Iraq, Michael Ignatieff was singing the praises of the Bush beligerancy.

As for Jack Layton, he and his NDP were strangely quiet on a wide variety of issues; and when Layton and his people did speak out, it was in very short paragraphs, with no passion and little follow-up. In contrast, Obama almost always follows up and follows through.

(Ironically, Gilles Duceppe and the Bloc Quebecois has recently seemed the real supporter of Canadian values by comparison).

We Can See In The Obama Example How A Leadership Vacuum Gets Filled

It will soon be a decade since Canadians have voted in a majority in the federal parliament…and we are unlikely to return a majority for a long time to come.  There are reasons why Voter Turnout is declining - 

• We have lost confidence in the political process and we need to get it back. 
• We have only contempt and mistrust for the traditional parties and that needs to change.
• We look south at Obama and then around us here at home and we see nothing. When there’s a vacuum, that’s what you see: nothing. And when it comes to Canadian leadership, we see that the vacuum effect is complete.

Canadians are now faced with an alarming prospect. 

We must choose between an untrustworthy home-grown opportunist in the person of  Stephen Harper (and/or the unreliable Peter MacKay)…and a foreign-trained opportunist in the person of the Harvard Hatter, Michael Ignatieff.

So – What to do?

Here’s my proposal:

We here at reedwrites.ca are issuing a call to every caring and responsible Canadian to consider a somewhat radical but utterly responsible alternative approach to “politics-as-usual” in the next federal election – which, by the way – may come sooner rather than later.

If you have the time and the resources – do a little research…and follow this blog. Let’s learn together how to launch an election campaign as an independent candidate.

We know that there are millions of Canadians with a clear conscience and courageous hearts. We have a few of those in Parliament, but we desperately need more.

If you don’t have the time or money to undertake this personally, then come up with a list of possibilities in your region and encourage one of them to run.

All we need to do is elect between 10 and 15 truly independent Members of Parliament.

• Men and women who will vote in the interests of both the country and their constituents - 
• who will not be forced to kowtow to so-called Party Discipline – who will speak out clearly and honestly when necessary - 
• and who will not be intimidated by threats and scare tactics, or bought with bribes and promises of cushy jobs in the private sector. 

A dozen independents elected from ridings all across Canada would send a powerful message to the back room boys in Ottawa and around the country, who are presently in control of the process. 

Just take a look at the undemocratic election of Michael Ignatieff to the Liberal Leadership. It can only be described as “an elitist coup d’etat” by Party Bigwigs.

And take a look at Stephen Harper, who became the Conservative leader through a process in which Peter MacKay betrayed the progressive wing of his own party.

It’s time for ordinary people to have a say in how their government works.

Electing independent candidates would be a step in the right direction.

There will be more to come on this subject.

Stay tuned.