Now, you don't know me, but I have been following your career for years. I watched you rise up through the ranks of Mike Harris' cabinet, all the way to Health Minister! Then, well, that all ended with the defeat of that government.
Do you remember when it all started to go downhill? That's right: Walkerton. Premier Harris' response to it was just, well, arrogant. You'd think it wouldn't have mattered. After all, Harris was already well known to be opinionated, defamatory and hard hitting. Somehow, that all changed, and he got out when the going seemed good. It was just a gong show after that.
My point is, you can't always predict when the worms will turn on you. Sometimes the negative narrative just builds, enough people hear it and catch on, and your halo runs out of shine.Having any deja vu yet?
Monday, a dozen people chased you down at York University. I understand they had to work at it. As they brought their issues forward, I am told you said if we didn't like the government's conduct, we just had to vote you out.
I'd like to talk to you about that.
In a sense, we have voted you out. As I'm sure you know, yours is a minority government. Due to one of the many quirks of our electoral system, you and your pals got to form government despite having less than half of the seats. Most of us didn't vote for your Party, and we got you anyway. This has happened twice.
So, what? Third time's the charm? What if we had another three-hundred million dollar election, and got the same result? Would you, another minority in hand, declare all this 'nonsense' over prorogation done with because you were once again elected?
That doesn't make any sense.
Most of us already haven't voted for you. The majority not voting for your party again isn't necessarily going to solve anything.
What you are supposed to do, Tony, is respect these electoral realities and listen to the people. Your party did run on a platform promising accountability and democratic reform, remember? Our demands for the PM to be more subservient to Parliament should be quite acceptable to you and your fellow Conservative MPs.
So, how about a better answer next time? Something like "I hear your concerns, and will bring them forward to the Prime Minister and caucus?"
Next, there's this offensive business of you calling our nation-wide protests last Saturday a "stunt."
Normally, I'd just demand that our MPs raise issues of concern in the House, but, geez, your boss suddenly and quietly closed it.
Meeting with our MPs doesn't help because they are opposition MPs, and prorogation has effectively shut them up. So our best option is to meet with government MPs.Well, you all don't seem to want to do that. We keep getting in contact with your fellow Conservative MPs with letters and petitions and yet they keep telling the media that their constituents are fine with prorogation.
So, taking it to the streets seems to be the best way of getting your attention. It takes a lot of time and work to do that. We don't get paid for it. We don't get 'future considerations' for it. We do it and then come home to a backlog of work. People (sadly) like you insult us for it, calling us 'elites' and 'chaterrers.' Our Prime Minister largely ignored us.
We're concerned, Tony. We're not stunt persons, we're voters. Concerned citizens. We are due respect and a proper response.
Today, I understand you should be encountering a few more of my fellow chattering Canadians in Saskatoon. I hope you will be cordial towards them, more so than you were to my fellow CAPP members Monday.
We are Canadians. We are voters. We deserve better from you.
As a senior minister of some influence, I hope you'll have a heartfelt recalibration, and will come to provide us with real democratic leadership and representation.
Sincerely,
Mark Francis
5 comments:
Good letter, Mark. Quite literate... maybe *too* literate, you elite chatterer!
The CPC minority has been allowed to operate as a de facto dictatorship mainly because of opposition weakness. There's an unwillingness on the part of the NDP and LPC to see beyond their own party loyalties.
We need a coalition but in order for it so succeed, we need to things to happen. First, we need to educate the public about the legitimacy and potential efficacy of a coalition government. Second, we need a demonstration of willingness to cooperate in a coalition environment.
That second requirement might be the tougher one.
d'oh! We need two things, not "to" things. I ain't so literate, I reckon.
Sheesh! That link ain't workin', neither. Supposed to be this.
I'm all too aware. And the likes of Tony can be heard laughing all the way from Ottawa as a result.
Very enjoyable blog entry, perfectly written. Kudos.
"First, we need to educate the public about the legitimacy and potential efficacy of a coalition government. Second, we need a demonstration of willingness to cooperate in a coalition environment."
"Good morning, Mr. Phelps. Your mission, should you decide to accept it..." (beginning of original Mission Impossible TV series).
We have many 'enemies' in this task. Apathy. Laziness. Ignorance. it will be Herculean just like cleaning Augias's stables (yup I'm also part of the chattering classes, pis dans les deux langues à part ça).
But we have no choice. It's either that of de facto dictatorship. De facto? Hmmmmm......
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