Scrutinize Government, Who Else Will?

Canadians And Media Ignore Those With Power, Criticize Those Without

what world is this where citizens and media think it beneficial to ignore those with power and criticize those without?

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In the Canadian democracy, lest Canadians and our media forget, it is our duty as citizens and members of the fourth estate to question our government, to hold our representatives accountable. The question that then must be asked by all is with the Conservative government determining the shape and substance of our executive and legislative bodies, when people criticize politics, when they question our country's affairs, should not the bulk of criticism be laid upon our Conservative government?

Yet as discussions and articles develop, as Canadians talk and reporters write, this is seen to not be the case. Liberals on their knees are bastardized while throned Conservatives are ignored.

What world is this where citizens and the media find it more valuable to our country to criticize those not in power? Facing an extensive recession that will last for years, should Canadians criticize postal workers? With a bleak future in Afghanistan, should the media criticize doctors? It is not the postal service nor healthcare professionals that deserve our attention; no, it is those in power who must be judged.

To dishearten many partisan Liberals and as many partisan Conservatives, it must be admitted Michael Ignatieff is of no authority. He is but the leader of a party not in power; he is a mere man whose job is to serve as a check to the vast powers held by the Prime Minister. Liberals don't want to face this fact, for in doing so they lay witness to their challenge. Conservatives too ignore this, for if they make such an admission, they are the ones that must be then held accountable, that must be reformed.

On the other side of the floor is Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, not Prime Minister of all Conservatives, but of all Canadians. He is the leader of our government, where the ultimate responsiblity of our country rests. And even as this is so, in reading news stories, in debating politics, it is not his actions that are seen with the most critical eye. It is the Liberal leader, the man with no power that draws the most scrutiny.

I ask again, what world is this where citizens and media think it beneficial to ignore those with power and criticize those without? With any response, the depth democacy falls is far enough to change any mind. To will any Canadian, any reporter, to look at those they have elected, at those they gave their government to, and judge.

Criticize Liberals

I’ve had the occasion recently to run in with a kid of an old friend of mine, he’s just a young student at university who I haven’t seen in ages. We got to talking and he brought up how much he was dismayed that the media and even ordinary Canadians were becoming increasingly critical, not of their government, not of the party in power but instead critical of the Liberal Party that’s in opposition. He just didn’t get why people weren’t more concerned with the Conservative politicians who are actually running the government than with the opposition politicians who are holding them accountable.

When I heard this I immediately smiled at his naivety, recalling back to when I was his age and was ignorant of how politics worked. I had a few minutes before Oprah so I sat him down. I told him that in a democracy all governments have to be scrutinized, that’s true, otherwise you get a government allocating most of its funds to their MPs ridings and using Canadian taxpayer money like their own party’s chequing account.

I saw his questioning glance and said, “Now in Canada it is the job of Canadians and journalists to hold their government accountable, it just happens that in criticizing the Liberals, we’re making sure we have the best way of doing that. “

“You see,” I told him, “in spending all of our time not focused on what our Conservative government is doing and instead talking about and writing articles about what’s happening with Denis Coderre in the Quebec wing of the Liberal Party and Liberal polling numbers, we’re really holding the Liberals’ feet to the fire. With the media and Canadians watching the Liberals so closely, it only stands to reason they will provide a more effective opposition. They’re sure to do a better job making sure our Conservative government doesn’t screw up like causing a recession or worsening some international military quagmire in a small Middle Eastern country.”

At this point I could tell that this young man just wasn’t getting it at all. So I said, “Look we need to scrutinize the Liberals so they will do a better job holding our government accountable; if we don’t make sure the Liberals are constantly criticized, how else can we be sure they’ll do our job?” When I asked this I knew I had wasted my time and that he was a lost cause, because he just looked at me and said, “Because we’ll do our job for them.”

Conservative Immigration Minister And His Asylum

"And this, this is the Conservative Asylum of Canada; from wall to wall to wall."

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Asylum, it's a word that conjures up images of a destitute dilapidated building on the outskirts of town, perched on some barren rigid hill face, housing those who are no longer sane, housing those who can no longer look after themselves. The old vine covered walls protecting society from the institution's inhabitants.

Recently with the arrival of 76 Sri Lankans on the coast of BC Canada, asylum has been used in its broadest meaning; asylum as sanctuary. Canada for decades has had the honourable tradition and duty of protecting those who are in danger from unjust foreign threats, like genocide and discrimination. Our lady Red and White has granted asylum to those who in danger flee to her; providing safety in an unsafe world.

However, as of late this ideal has been banded; arms restrained by her side, our country is being led to treat those who seek our help, our aid, our safety, as criminals. The lady Red and White, made blue by the flagrant abuse of our Conservative government.

Jason Kenney the Minister of Immigration instead of offering sanctuary to these men in danger, has instead labelled them as illegal immigrants and is treating them as such. His actions are done with the full knowledge that there's nothing illegal about them, for under Canadian and international law asylum seekers can arrive without notice and ask for our help. They are not criminals, nor have they done anything wrong. Our Conservative government has closed our country's arms to these men, but it has opened its own arms to the American pejorative ideal of anti-immigration.

Nowhere is the term illegal immigrant more prevalent then in the country of the stars and stripes. The Conservatives in importing the term are changing our country, altering it to be more like the red, white, and blue, even if they have to abuse it to add a shade.

In the antiquated image of a worn down mental institution, the asylum's forbearing walls protect society from those who can't look after themselves. This understanding of the term asylum might yet be relevant in this most recent context. For as we are Canadians, for as we are people, we are members of humanity, by our Conservative government rejecting to provide aid to fellow men, it’s clear we can't look after ourselves. And this, this is the Conservative Asylum of Canada; from wall to wall to wall.