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.