I have received a lot of feedback on my recent blog on John Weston, MP.
Let me say that this was directed to Weston because he is my MP and it applies with equal force to all Tory MPs from British Columbia.
I’ve been asked if I would resign were I in John’s position and I say YES. Now, I realize that’s easy to say – he who has not sinned has not been tempted. I have no doubt, however. I sat in a cabinet that had half a dozen ministers who would have resigned under these circumstances. Premier Bill Bennett recognized this and it was taken into his consideration, I’m sure.
Now, under our system – such is the measure of its idiocy – all elected members on the government side must often compromise, otherwise the government couldn’t function. There were occasions where cabinet passed policy that I had spoken out against in the past and I told the press that when cabinet makes a decision all must support it. But these were areas of policy, not matters that go to the root of your commitment to your voters and your constituency. They were not matters of conscience. Any who have sat on the board of, say, a golf club will readily get the distinction between matters of business and matters of conscience. Premier Bill Bennett understood the distinction – Stephen Harper, no doubt also understands but he knows his backbenchers well and knows that there is almost nothing that goes to the conscience of his MPS because they have none.
Let’s be clear what issues we’re talking about here.
The environment of BC as a whole is not merely threatened but is on the brink of disaster from policy decisions already taken by the Harper government. I refer, of course, to its support of the Enbridge pipeline and expansion of Kinder Morgan’s pipeline to Vancouver; its open support of tankers loaded with deadly bitumen from the Tar Sands; its ongoing support of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to promote fish farms while their statutory basic raison d’etre is to protect our salmon; and its utter abandonment of protection of fish habitat as demonstrated in its gutting of the DFO in BC.
These, I contend, are not merely matters of policy but go the very root of what British Columbia is and as such simply cannot be supported by any Member of Parliament from our province.
Ask yourself this: if in the past election Tory candidates were asked if they support the above policies, I suggest that not one of them would have answered yes. If they had been and they replied that they were for these policies they would never have been elected and they know that.
I pick on Weston because, as I say, he’s my MP. In fact, the entire BC Conservative caucus ought to resign en masse. That they haven’t and won’t brands them as they are – lickspittles and toadies who put their parliamentary seat before their duty.
My prediction is that Weston will be rewarded with a cabinet seat in the next major shuffle – after all, he has been faithful to Harper and he’s moved his family back to Ottawa, which move could well have come from a nod or a wink from Harper.
After all, if sacrificing your constituency and your province for personal gain is to mean anything, there must be a reward and in my view it will come.
As a BC born public high school teacher, I am disgusted with the threat our own provincial and federal governments pose to the future of this province and the country. Rafe, you’re commentary does a great job of expressing the outrage that many of us living in “The Best Place on Earth” “Super Natural British Columbia” are feeling as we watch the stripping of environmental protections, the dismantling of public monitoring, and the shifting toward corporatist control. I have written to my Kamloops MP Cathy Mcleod several times. I get the typical sincerely worded email responses that don’t inspire my confidence one bit. I agree that we need people in government who will work on behalf of the electorate. I’m just afraid that the damage will be done before we can turf these governments.
As a BC born public high school teacher, I am disgusted with the threat our own provincial and federal governments pose to the future of this province and the country. Rafe, you’re commentary does a great job of expressing the outrage that many of us living in “The Best Place on Earth” “Super Natural British Columbia” are feeling as we watch the stripping of environmental protections, the dismantling of public monitoring, and the shifting toward corporatist control. I have written to my Kamloops MP Cathy Mcleod several times. I get the typical sincerely worded email responses that don’t inspire my confidence one bit. I agree that we need people in government who will work on behalf of the electorate. I’m just afraid that the damage will be done before we can turf these governments.
Question: Is there any way we the people can ask the Governor General to intervene on our behalf to stop this wholesale destruction of the environment in BC – and Canada – as well as our once proud democracy? Have we no recourse, other than an election 3 years away, during which our MPs,like smiley Weston, disregard their constituents, contribute to the destruction of all that we Canadians are proud or, and roll over like beta lapdogs when barked at by their alpha dog? Weston has always toed the Con. line and always will, sadly, as his evidenced by his numerous party statements on a variety of key issues, and his expensive, wasteful, inane flyers . And our illustrious premier, who is another neo-con, does the same. If our MPs and provincial leaders won’t act on behalf of the people – and contrary to what those MPs have been told they do not have a genuine majority – what other recourse do we have? The Queen?
Both federal and provincial politicians are scrupulously avoiding public contact except for carefully orchestrated and pre-planned photo ops.
The picture of Harper gladhanding selected worshippers on Canada Day at Parliament hill did not show the thousands of rabble locked out of the hill by iron gates and an army of police.
BC provincial girls soccer tourney in Kelowna this week, involving thousands of players and their families was given a pass by all local provincial and federal politicians, including the premier and the minister for sport.
Being afraid to face the people on even ground is inecusable, but speaks volumes about their policies and character.
I totally get and admire your integrity, Raef. Not of the same political stripe, but I share your passion for preserving democracy. Keep up the good work.
Harper is using Game Theory to perpetrate treason against Canada as a nation. Both his religion and his economic theory are at odds with reality. He is a zealot and looking more crazy by the minute. Even the banks want him out of office. Have you noticed that it is the socialist systems on the planet which are not bankrupt, but solvent? Why would that be? Control over greed, perhaps, and an awareness that regulations are necessary to keep us from eating one another alive?
Muriel
Raif the CONServatives and LIbERalS in this province are one and the same. All are cowards and liars without ethics or morals. All they want are their fat pensions so they won’t rock the boat at all. Losers all! Keep the pedal to the metal.
If I were my MP cabinet minister John Duncan CPC Vancouver Island, I would absolutely resign. I could not face my community, my neighbours or my family if I did not do what I knew was right for them. Have a great summer in the Comox Valley John. Lot of ‘splainin to do there!
Canada is being robbed by political animals that a certain part of the electorate, thought could be trusted.
The Harper Government is a runaway government, completely disconnected from the electorate, as are its elected MP’s. Expect to be treated like Indians. You will be lied to, stolen from, abused. Harper sees the Canadian population much like previous great white leaders (the forked tongue kind) saw Indians and their land, the buffalo, the gold, the soil, the lumber. Why not? He’s a carpetbagger evangelist economist capitalist
This to a tiny extent, is what it feels to be treated as an Indian.. though Harper has not yet started to round us all up to be moved to the Rez. Why bother? Non aboriginal folk have little in the way to stop his tar sand, pipeline, tanker dilbit petro superpower wet dream..
Us non First Nation folk aint got no treaty.. aint a threat. But the BC and Alberta First Nations have those damned troublesome old treaties. So that’s who Harper and Enbridge and Oliver and Kent and Encana.. Ashfield and bullyboyz Flaherty, Kenney, Baird, Del Mastro & Poilievre have to steal from (again) and beat down, legally or illegally.. and extinguish .. Hellalujah
Right on Rafe. Now what can we do, to stop the destruction?