FELDSTED: We have built an enviable legal framework for democratic rule of our society, but in practice ignore the rules we have created
Positive? Ambitious? Hopeful? Most Canadians would think not |
The Justice Committee is dominated by Liberals.
The Liberals are dominated by Trudeau.
Ipso facto, we have been watching a PMO directed
stage play. The script calls for civil servants (Butts, Wernick) to be given
equal status to Cabinet Ministers.
The plot is thin, but twofold.
First, deny that repeatedly asking the former Attorney
General (Jody Wilson-Raybould) to revisit her Lavalin decision and to allow a
deferred prosecution agreement is not “pressure”. No sleep deprivation,
waterboarding, torture, or anything else to see here folks.
Second, make this all about saving jobs. The
government can be forgiven for bending the rules and bullying cabinet ministers
to protect people from losing their livelihoods.
While Wilson-Raybould was muzzled by a partial
lift of confidentiality clauses, Butts, elevated to an inappropriate status,
was free to comment on everything Wilson-Raybould could not address. Butts was
not constrained by cabinet confidentiality while Wilson-Reynolds was. There has
been no comment by the opposition or in the media on that committee procedural
failure and flaw. Procedural fairness was ignored.
One of my readers put it succinctly:
I keep waiting to hear someone say “Cut! That’s a
wrap people.” and find out this is a made for TV movie. This whole thing
stinks of the old boy’s club from “A Few Good Men”, the behind the scene games
of “Jason Borne” and the saga of a women verses big power in “Erin Brockovich”.
I can only hope that like in the movies, the underdog rises and puts corruption
in place.
Anything short of an independent inquiry by a
politically neutral person empowered to subpoena witnesses and have them
testify under oath will not bring out the truth.
The Ethics Commissioner, Parliamentary Budget
Officer, Elections Commissioner, Lobbying Commissioner and a (new) Justice and
Legislation Commissioner should all report to the Governor General, not to Parliament
and the Governor General, not the government, should make the appointments to
these posts.
In our system, a majority government can impose its
will which is dangerous without independent and non-partisan oversight. A
majority government can bury or ignore recommendations made by watch dogs
reporting to parliament. We have dozens of reports and results from inquiries
gathering dust in the parliamentary library as evidence of the government of
the day burying recommendation for improvement.
While balanced Standing Committees (50% government,
50% opposition) would help, opposition parties have fallen into a trap of
opposing everything rather than providing constructive criticism, and
alternative solutions, to problems. Decades of opposition members being obstructive
rather than constructive raises the prospects of balanced committees resulting
in getting nothing done, which is no better than having legislation rammed
through.
We have spent nearly eight decades developing a
dysfunctional federal governance system that is not compatible with our
constitution. We give lip service to concepts and principles such as the rule
of law, equality of persons, equality before and under the law, ethical, open
and transparent governance, gender equality and so on.
We have built an enviable legal framework for
democratic rule of our society, but in practice ignore the rules we have
created.
Political parties, the powers behind the scenes and
parliamentarians have no incentive to change from the familiar and safe
environment they have created for themselves. That environment does not serve
Canada or Canadians. We will not see change until electors and taxpayers open a
dialogue on the flaws they see and demand change.
There is a reason why discussion of politics is
considered politically incorrect. The political class is protecting its turf.
They do not want us to dig into what they actually do and criticize what we
see. We need to get involved and upset some apple carts. The alternative is to
keep being treated like tax serfs whose income governments can seize at will
through taxation. That is not accountable or responsible government.
Take 10 minutes to review this jurist’s assessment
of Butt’s presentation to the Justice Committee. It will shed light on many
Lavalin issues: https://youtu.be/vNCZnVu7Zp4
John Feldsted
Political Consultant
& Strategist
Winnipeg,
Manitoba
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