Category: Democracy

Canadians see big changes in new government

5/11/2015

Justin Trudeau, Canada's new PM

Opinion: Canada woke up Wednesday morning to a reaffirmation of the democratic process. Liberal Party leader, Justin Trudeau revealed his new cabinet in a ceremony unlike any before. He promised change and boy, did we get it.

Before the swearing in of oaths at Rideau Hall, the traditional residence of Queen Elizabeth’s representative in Canada, new cabinet members were picked up in a bus and ferried to 24 Sussex Drive, the traditional residence of Canada’s prime minister. They assembled there and walked as a group to the hall. November in eastern Canada can be quite cold and wet but the sun shone, the golden leaves were still on the trees and the crowd cheered and clapped as the entourage passed.

Our new PM invited the public to witness the ceremony and thousands showed up. While they could not enter Rideau Hall, giant TV screens had been set up outside. Hot coffee, tea and hot chocolate were offered to the crowds.

Inside the hall, the invited took their places to witness the swearing in ceremony administered by the current governor-general. As the new cabinet members took their turns, it became obvious that change was happening. Exactly half the cabinet posted are now held by women. Ethnically the cabinet is the most diverse ever.

Some of the names of the cabinet posts have been changed as well. The Ministry of the Environment is now Environment and Climate Change. Perhaps the most radical and timely change is the Ministry of Northern and Indian Affairs is now Indigenous and Northern Affairs.

After the swearing in ritual, the new cabinet members walked to the Parliament Buildings for their first meeting as Cabinet Ministers.

There are a great many challenges facing Canada. It is a large land mass with a small population – around 36 million.

The economy, climate change, defense and more will test the resolve and abilities of the new ministers.

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Canada gears up for federal election

2/8/2015

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Get ready for the onslaught

August 2, 2015; Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited the Governor General in Ottawa and formally asked him to dissolve parliament. It’s a formality and a nod to the long standing relationship with the U.K. The upshot of the action is that the election campaign officially begins now.

Canadians were expecting to vote in federal elections on October 15. The campaigns usually are limited to four weeks but are not limited to such by law only custom.

The current party in power is the Conservatives, led by Harper. They are reputed to have a bulging war chest compared to the other parties in the race. The early call for campaign was not unexpected as the Conservative government had been awarding about one billion dollars’ worth of grants in the past few weeks.

They had recently implemented a child grant that on the surface looked generous for each dependent child, but neglected to publicize the tax implications of the grant.

Recently the government’s bid to finalize a trans-Pacific trade agreement fell short.

This government’s record on environmental protection has come under fire for its enthusiastic support of the Alberta Oil Sands and for proposals to build pipelines to carry the products to the coasts. Their financial plans have also been thrown into disarray by the precipitous drop in world petroleum prices. In the past eight months, the value of Canadian currency has dropped about 25% in relation to the US currency.

Polls taken to test the will of the electorate have not given the Conservatives comfort.

There are three major parties in the race. The New Democratic Party (NDP) is headed by Thomas Mulcair and the Liberals headed by Justin Trudeau. The fourth party with sitting members is the Green Party headed by Elizabeth May. In Quebec the Bloc Quebecois headed by Giles Duceppe. He is not seated. In Canada, independents may run and if elected are seated.

The NDP was the official opposition in the now dissolved government.

It is difficult to pin down the most important plank in each party’s platform. The following statements were gleaned from the official web site. I chose to select the statement/slogan that was placed first.

Conservative Party of Canada – protecting Canadians from the threat of terror

NDP – ready for change

Liberal – it’s time for real change

Green – a Canada that works. Together

Bloc Quebecois – Their page does not translate well from the French. They are the party that maintains that the Province of Quebec should separate from the rest of Canada. They run only in that province.

While each party must pay for its campaign out of party funds, the election process is expensive to the taxpayer as well. An early call of 11 weeks means that the bureaucratic process must gear up early as well with all its attendant expenses.

The election will take place October 19.

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Porter Airlines drops the ball Christine Flynn scenario

29/7/2015

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Religious extremists in Scotland's past

Opinion - July 29, 2015
A young woman returning from New York to Toronto is angry with Porter Airlines. I don’t know her but I am angry too.

All women should be angered at the treatment afforded Christine Flynn. The CBC has reported that before take off in New York she was asked to change her seat on the airline.

Some people would say what is the big deal. Here’s the deal.

A man boarded the plane after Flynn was seated in her assigned seat. He took a look at her and while not acknowledging her, asked another passenger to get her to move.

Apparently it was against his beliefs to sit in proximity to a woman. Because she is a woman.

When Flynn refused to change seats to accommodate this religious extremist, the cabin attendant, male, got involved and requested that someone exchange seats with the extremist.

OK so that marks two people as insensitive to the equality of all. Other passengers offered to change seats and the plane took off.

She pointed out that she was being considered unfit to be a seat partner by this religious extremist solely on the basis that she is female.

It is my opinion that the disruptive man should have been told to sit down and be quiet or get off the plane. That may seem extreme when other passengers could accommodate his wishes.

If you don’t see the problem here, think about a NeoNazi in full regalia boarding a passenger plane. His assigned seat is next to a person of colour, who in his twisted mind, considers it wrong to sit next to a person of colour. Would the cabin crew been as quick to accommodate the NeoNazi? How about another type of religious zealot who won’t sit next to a Jewish person? Or a gay or lesbian person? Why is it ok to accommodate a misogynist?

You may think this is a one of, but that isn’t the case. The New York Times, April 9 of this year has reported numerous cases of this. This phenomenon also extends to religious extremists wanting separate buses and streets and erasing women's photos from news stories.

Of course people are entitled to believe whatever they believe, but in a free, democratic society they cannot be permitted to impose those strange or wonderful beliefs on others.

Christine Flynn deserves a heartfelt aplology.

References:
CBC News
National Post

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Canadians see big changes in new government

Canada gears up for federal election

Porter Airlines drops the ball Christine Flynn scenario

Barbara McPherson

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