Pragmatism

Ok, consider this me having entirely given up on trying to stop making political posts. It seems I am going to continue at least for the moment.

It strikes me as odd that while I claim to be a pragmatic independent, politically speaking, I have found myself far too often writing about the Conservative party in almost exclusively positive terms. While I still believe that Harper was the most capable leader on the podium in our recent election, I also think it is necessary to voice some constructive criticism.

Harper has finally secured his coveted majority after years of meticulous planning, thought and calculation. Now he finds himself in a position in which he could potentially turn the tide on the Conservative marginalization that has gone on since the 80's in Canada. Unfortunately, I have to say I have been a little disappointed in recent developments.

In particular, I am referring to the press surrounding Insite, a Vancouver facility that offers a safe place for drug addicts to have access to clean needles and some level of supervision to reduce the spread of disease and prevalence of overdose.

The facility has been around for a few years and has largely been seen as a success within the city. Recently, a number of former mayors sent a letter endorsing its value and asking Harper to let it stay open and extend its exemption to the federal narcotics legislation. For the moment it seems that those pleas, along with previous advocation from health care professionals who presumably understand the issue far better than I, have fallen on deaf ears.

My suspicion, and I do hope I am wrong, is that the request is being denied on idealogical grounds rather than an actual reasoned critique. This is an innovative, unique project, that as far as I understand seems to be at least somewhat ameliorating an intractable situation and is only controversial to those who have not seen it first hand. Everyone hopes for a Canada in which there is no addiction, but in the mean time, it seems that a pragmatic, evidence-based approach is not a bad way to go.

If the Conservatives do indeed have a vision to take on the centrist mantle that the Liberals have held in recent times, their recent negation of this issue without a public, detailed reasoning of their case seems likely to cement the negative image that many hold of Harper as one who is more concerned about a tough-on-crime image than the more nuanced facts. I hope that this in a momentary lapse in judgement rather than a signal of future policy decisions.

The sky has not fallen

In the aftermath of the recent federal election, I was struck by the number of comments from friends and colleagues expressing shock, disgust and disbelief at the results. A number of people seem to believe that Canadians entered a state of temporarily insanity or were somehow tricked into voting a majority Conservative government, something that I strongly don't believe to be the case.

The sky has not fallen. On the eve of his electoral victory, Harper did not finally reveal his dastardly plan to repeal gay marriage, outlaw abortion and generally declare a military state as some of the fear-mongering would have had you believe. In fact, conversely, Harper made what many commenters on both sides of the aisle are calling his most prime-ministerial speach to date. His tone was conciliatory, he made a point of congratulating his opponents and of speaking about working together with the opposition for a better Canada both for those who voted for him and those who did not.

This has been a surprisingly eventful and historic election after many, myself included, initially predicted little or no change to the make up of parliament. Despite my earlier critical posts of the NDP, I think Jack Layton deserves strong congratulations for an unprecedented win for his party placing them in a position to behave admirably as a strong and thoughtful opposition.

Equally, if not more remarkably, this election has rung the death knell of the Bloc Quebecois. I see this as a profound victory for Canada, and for Quebec as well. It shows a mature electorate invested in building a country together that will be better for all Canadians and hopefully putting to bed the pettiness of the past. Congratulations to Quebec and to the NDP in their mutual victories.

Finally, as I initially mentioned, the Conservatives have been granted a majority and I repeat this is not due to Canadians somehow being tricked, but rather is due in large part to the shrewdness of Stephen Harper and what have been for the most part quite centrist policies. I do not pretend to admire or support some of his actions regarding contempt of parliament or the press, but I do believe that the majority of his policy decisions have not been indicative of a hard right government and certainly not one beholden to social conservatives.

My dream for the next session of parliament is one in which Harper strikes a more conciliatory tone, not because he has to, but because it would cement his reputation and just maybe lay to rest the wild accusations that arise from time to time. I hope that Layton and many of his very young and inexperienced MPs make use of their historic opportunity to influence the government neither through petty fighting nor ankle-biting, but instead through the kind of sober collaboration evident in the First Nations apology that he and Harper worked on together. I hope for a Liberal party that takes this loss as an opportunity for renewal, a chance to finally lay to rest the detestable notion of being a "natural governing party", a title that no party in Canada deserves. Rather, perhaps, a vibrant renewal of ideas, policy, and candidates will lead to a party that will be more representative of Canadians and one that can reclaim the nobility of ideals that the party has held in the past.

Ladies and gentlemen, the sky has not fallen. In fact, if all parties, leaders, and MPs make the most of this opportunity, we might just bear witness to a refreshing wind of change that will restore the pride of a nation to the chambers of parliament, once more demonstrating the vibrancy and beauty of a truly democratic nation.