I said it two years ago (and in The Londoner on Dec. 10, 2008), I’ll say it again. Cooperation between political parties is essential. Challenges facing our country are immense.
["I said it two years ago, I'll say it again": photo GH]
But is PM Harper capable of cooperating with other political parties? In a word, no. He doesn’t build bridges. He seems only capable of slinging mud along with bridge-building materials.
This from Doug Finley, Harper’s national campaign director:
“I believe we’re ready for a majority. Certainly the seats are there. Will the tactics change? No, not considerably.” (Feb. 7, 2011, Maclean’s magazine)
In other words, get ready for more smoke and fire down your pants. Prepare for tactics and language that will lead to further divisions within Canada, and not unity.
How could it be any different with an Alberta-style separatist at Canada’s helm?
That said, I now provide a past column to illustrate my point.
Can an Alberta separatist cooperate with the other parties?
At no other time in my short and eventful life have I sensed there’s been a greater need for cooperation between Canadian political parties than now.
I believe that just as one garage cannot manage to put snow tires on all cars in the Deforest City, one school system cannot educate all children or one local church handle the needs of all church-goers, one political party – no matter how many seats it has won – cannot alone solve the many pressing social, environmental and economic problems facing our country.
But is cooperation possible between our federal political parties?
Though recent events in Ottawa suggest otherwise, two things I learned recently make me think, yes.
Gordon McBean, professor of geography and political science at the University of Western Ontario, in last Saturday’s London Free Press said: “Lester Pearson, one of our great prime ministers, gave Canada a legacy of bilingualism, the Canada Pension Plan, universal medicare, a flag and the first U.S. - Canada Autopact, while not having a majority government. He did it by working thoughtfully with the other parties.”
And during a conversation with local federal Liberal MP Glen Pearson two Saturdays ago I was told he is working with Mary Ann Hodge from the Green Party and Steve Holmes of the NDP to develop ideas for environmental projects.
“They were the candidates that squared off against me in the last election,” he said. “But now that it's over, I've asked them to continue working with me to help Londoners come up with clear ideas on the environment. They have graciously accepted and I'm thrilled at the non-partisan attitude that characterizes our meetings. This is the way politics is supposed to work.”
He finished by saying he’s writing a book on non-partisanship at the moment and is convinced the big problems we’re now facing will only find solutions through cooperative management.
Though in the past and present it appears political parties have managed to work together toward important common goals, I have to ask, does Stephen Harper possess an ounce of cooperative spirit in his skill set?
I think I have legitimate concerns after he revealed plans in the House of Commons several eventful days ago to reduce party funding and end the right of women to appeal to the Human Rights Commission when faced with pay equity issues.
He strikes me as a control taker, one who wants all the marbles all the time on his side of the table. Also, the louder he shouted about the coalition’s supposed deal with Quebec separatists the more he made me think he protested too much.
Especially after I discovered he actually supports his own form of separation.
In an online article by Monte Paulsen, investigative editor of The Tyee, entitled Separation, Alberta-style I read that Mr. Harper said the following eight years ago in an article he wrote for the National Post:
“Westerners, but especially Albertans, founded the Reform-Alliance to get ‘in’ to Canada. The rest of the country has responded by telling us in no uncertain terms that we do not share their ‘Canadian values’.
Fine. Let us build a society on Alberta values (i.e. as the province of Quebec has done to protect their values).”
So, can an un-cooperative and possible Alberta-style separatist change his spots, for Canada’s sake, by the time Parliament returns in late January?
I hope so. I’m holding my breath.
(By GH, posted 2 years ago, Cold Lake Sun, Alberta)
I’ve stopped holding my breath. I’m now preparing for more smoke and fire down my pants.
This concludes another exciting series of some significance. I will now go outside and hammer a political sign on my front lawn. The sign will not be in support of the Harper government.
On May 2nd, please vote for your favourite federal candidate or MP.
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Please click here to read Welcome to Harperville PT 4: “Smoke and fire down your pants”
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