Are political parties ruining Canadian democracy?

[steven lloyd]

Are political parties ruining Canadian democracy?
19/04/2011 8:18:00 AM
by Daniel Reid

Parliament is in an embarrassing state of dysfunction. As long as parties continue to put politics first and Canadians second, it will stay that way. Our government is dysfunctional and Canadians have known it for years. This is nothing new.

Frequently dominated by unproductive outbursts, bickering and all-around uncivil behavior, Parliament is – to put it bluntly – a national embarrassment.

But as it turns out, it's not just Canadians who are embarrassed by the behavior of our elected officials. Former members in the House of Commons are also, admittedly, a bit red-faced too.

According to a new study entitled "It's My Party: Parliamentary Dysfunction Reconsidered" – which probes former MPs for their opinions on the Parliamentary system – even politicians get turned off by the "public displays of politics" in the House of Commons, blaming the way parties are managed.

Most of the real work of government is done in private – according to the MPs – and even that is overshadowed by the theatrics of Question Period. It can get pretty theatrical all right.

"The MPs insisted they did their best work — collaborating across parties, debating and advancing policy, and bringing local issues to the national stage — in the less publicized venue of committees and the private space of caucus," the report said.

They went on to say that party decisions were often "arbitrary, even unprofessional . . . (and) ran counter to the MPs' desires to practice politics in a constructive way."

Take, for example, the 2010 vote to scrap the long-gun registry. This neat little CBC infographic shows that every single member of the Conservative Party voted in favour of the bill to kill the registry while every single member of the Liberal Party voted to keep it. Only the NDP allowed MPs to actually, you know, vote freely to represent their constituents.

It would seem that political parties continue to put politics first and Canadians second.

"Democracy relies on citizen engagement to thrive, but if MPs themselves are disenchanted with their own parties, then it should come as no surprise when citizens also choose to opt out," stated the report.

Canada is about to choose a new government. Is it time we looked at a new political system too?

http://news.sympatico.ca/oped/coffee-ta ... y/9ff446f4

[Smurf]

Yes I believe they are. Although left, right, center beliefs are necessary in our type of government I truly believe that blindly following those beliefs or as is common today, a party demanding their members blindly follow those beliefs is wrong. Members are elected by their constituency to follow the will of the people in that area, not the will of a few people at the head of a party. Those members have to be able to think for themselves and when they truly feel it is necessary, go against their party.
Also as mentioned parlament has become a stage for theatrics.

I believe MP's should sit back and think about why they are there. Should it not be to run the country to the best of their ability and do the best for the country and the people in it. Not follow party lines because that is what they are told to do.

[albertabound]

YES

[Lady tehMa]

YES.

Now what can be done about it?

[Al Czervic]

I thought about this topic a fair bit recently (I have no idea why) On the surface, yes it is very easy to say that political parties are a bad idea and we should get rid of them, but in the absence of parties what would we have ? Independents? And if different independents have different ideas on what is the right direction how do you reach an agreement on a common course of action? What if the Independents could not come to an agreement and there was nothing more then constant bickering? And if we did go down this road only to figure out it didn’t work, how would we fix it ? How do you know what an Independent REALY stands for ?

I am not suggesting that party system is perfect or that it does not have problems as well. However I do believe that the grass is NOT always greener on the other side. I expect once upon a time we likely did have Independents and likely the party system evolved because it likely created better government that was more efficient and better able to govern larger areas and bigger populations. One of the challenges with Independents would be trying to make decisions that have repercussions beyond a local area and towards a greater good overall.

Personally I would favour some Party system reform before getting into a mano-o-mano free for all.

[steven lloyd]

Personally I would favour some Party system reform before getting into a mano-o-mano free for all.

Any ideas on that Al ? Perhaps anonymous voting on issues in the house ?

[Smurf]

I have to agree with you Al. Don't really know a solution to make it work better. I keep hoping that a minority government will cause them to work together and make some reasonable decissions down the middle that works best for all. But it doesn't seem to work and I get the feeling that part of it is just stubbornness and an unwillingness to compromise which makes me mad. We are seeing the same thing in the states right now and I think in both cases it's doing the countries more harm that good. Seems to me they are all more worried about being the one in power than actually trying to govern the country for the good of the country. A coalition might work but I have a funny feeling it would end up the same, as everyone would want to be in control the same as now. My way or the highway and I don't think it should be like that. From what I can see no one solution is the right solution, it takes work and compromise to come up with the best solutions.

A perfect example is Campbell and the HST. Had he and the Liberals been forced to sit down, debate it, come up with options and work with the people it would probably have flown with few problems. Because of the way it was done it could still come back to haunt them. Just my opinion.

[Al Czervic]

Personally I would favour some Party system reform before getting into a mano-o-mano free for all.

Any ideas on that Al ? Perhaps anonymous voting on issues in the house ?

I don’t think secret ballots is the answer…it is important that people can account for HOW their politicians vote, however I would rather the practice of a “whipped” vote be made against Parliamentary practice and have it a part of proper house protocol that ALL votes in the house are FREE votes.

I would also change Question Period so that ONLY the MP’s asking questions are actually allowed in the house and only the Government cabinet members attend in response to the question so the circus will be put to an end. I have a few more ideas but that is a start…

[JD Skinner]

I think it is time for revolution. We do not live in a democracy, the Politions we elect to represent us once elected turn into self serving Dictators. they do not represent their country's best interest or that of its people.It's not the party system that's at fault it's the way ours is being run. To many parties represent single interst groups that don't follow the Majority rule. Why is the Bloc even allowed to have federal political standing when it clearly represents 1 province. Why have a Federal Goverment at all if each Province only wants to express their ideals. Why vote Con or Lib because ultimately the Bloc and NDP (neither of which will every form a Federal Gov.) are running the country by extorsion. Our whole system needs to be purged so that a modern system could be developed. We need to do away with overpayed Buracrats and our prehistoric Feudal system of governing and replace it with a system that could quickly adapt to keep current with the everchanging world we live in .

[Loed]

I think it is time for revolution. We do not live in a democracy, the Politions we elect to represent us once elected turn into self serving Dictators. they do not represent their country's best interest or that of its people.It's not the party system that's at fault it's the way ours is being run. To many parties represent single interst groups that don't follow the Majority rule. Why is the Bloc even allowed to have federal political standing when it clearly represents 1 province. Why have a Federal Goverment at all if each Province only wants to express their ideals. Why vote Con or Lib because ultimately the Bloc and NDP (neither of which will every form a Federal Gov.) are running the country by extorsion. Our whole system needs to be purged so that a modern system could be developed. We need to do away with overpayed Buracrats and our prehistoric Feudal system of governing and replace it with a system that could quickly adapt to keep current with the everchanging world we live in .

Agreed, now it's just time to figure out how to do this in a peaceful manner. Since we all know how political revolutions tend to be...

[Al Czervic]

I think it is time for revolution. We do not live in a democracy, the Politions we elect to represent us once elected turn into self serving Dictators. they do not represent their country's best interest or that of its people.It's not the party system that's at fault it's the way ours is being run. To many parties represent single interst groups that don't follow the Majority rule. Why is the Bloc even allowed to have federal political standing when it clearly represents 1 province. Why have a Federal Goverment at all if each Province only wants to express their ideals. Why vote Con or Lib because ultimately the Bloc and NDP (neither of which will every form a Federal Gov.) are running the country by extorsion. Our whole system needs to be purged so that a modern system could be developed. We need to do away with overpayed Buracrats and our prehistoric Feudal system of governing and replace it with a system that could quickly adapt to keep current with the everchanging world we live in .

I always hear these types of comments and then I have to ask myself, IF our political system is so bad then how has it managed to collectively shape, build and create the greatest country in the world? I am not suggesting there is NOT always room for improvement but when I look at most every other political system I do not exactly see a system that is any better. I certainly see many systems that are much, much worse.

Part of the problem is that as Canadians we are generally spoiled in many areas (compared to most everywhere else on the planet) and we like to complain and think we are so hard done by. I had to laugh, I was watching a show down in Arizona that was about the Copenhagen Conference and one of the delegates from Finland made a really funny observation that no one at the conference needed to criticize Canada because there was NO ONE who did a better job criticizing Canadians then Canadians. I had to hand it to the guy, he had a good point….

[Loed]

I think it is time for revolution. We do not live in a democracy, the Politions we elect to represent us once elected turn into self serving Dictators. they do not represent their country's best interest or that of its people.It's not the party system that's at fault it's the way ours is being run. To many parties represent single interst groups that don't follow the Majority rule. Why is the Bloc even allowed to have federal political standing when it clearly represents 1 province. Why have a Federal Goverment at all if each Province only wants to express their ideals. Why vote Con or Lib because ultimately the Bloc and NDP (neither of which will every form a Federal Gov.) are running the country by extorsion. Our whole system needs to be purged so that a modern system could be developed. We need to do away with overpayed Buracrats and our prehistoric Feudal system of governing and replace it with a system that could quickly adapt to keep current with the everchanging world we live in .

I always hear these types of comments and then I have to ask myself, IF our political system is so bad then how has it managed to collectively shape, build and create the greatest country in the world? I am not suggesting there is NOT always room for improvement but when I look at most every other political system I do not exactly see a system that is any better. I certainly see many systems that are much, much worse.

Part of the problem is that as Canadians we are generally spoiled in many areas (compared to most everywhere else on the planet) and we like to complain and think we are so hard done by. I had to laugh, I was watching a show down in Arizona that was about the Copenhagen Conference and one of the delegates from Finland made a really funny observation that no one at the conference needed to criticize Canada because there was NO ONE who did a better job criticizing Canadians then Canadians. I had to hand it to the guy, he had a good point….

While he has a good point, it goes to show that at least we try to be aware of what is going on and try to keep things under control.

[JD Skinner]

Al: I appreciate your response, with respect I ask you what country do you live in, Not the same I do. All I see is inequality, over taxation, over regulation and persecution of common working people.

[JD Skinner]

People we need to open our eyes and get real. I am the working poor. taxes are horendus. Our freedoms keep eroding 1 by 1. We are a totalitarian society like it or not.

[sooperphreek]

the revolution will come and it may or may not be peacefull. especially in regards to how people were treated at the G 20 summit. we live in a day and age where the economy all over the world is collapsing and the rich are hoarding their wealth. and while doing so they exploit the well being of the countries they are in and are getting tax money bailouts. then they go on to make record profits and all the while inflation and costs rise exponentially. i was talking to a gentleman who fled Iraq after the first gulf wars and came to canada. he told me that before the war his family could buy a 50 lb sack of sugar for 15 dollars and it would last them approx a month and a half. under a so called capitalist democracy they now have to pay 120 dollars for the same thing. regardless of the fact that it was almost 20 years ago that is a crazy amount to have gone up. we are in the same situation here in north america. energy and household utility costs are inflated so much that it is a real stress in the pocket book. and they are rising every year it seems. when the burden gets to be too much to bear you will see people pouring out into the streets and protesting very loud and passionately. but instead of trying to oust a dictator you will have no hope because you will have to try to oust corporations that control our government and tell it what to do. it isnt for the people by the people any more. it is for the companies and banks by the government coffers today. thats why i wont be voting for the conservatives any time soon. i like alot of other people am considering the NDP due to the fact that the liberals will wast the same amount of money in the government and still have the corporations in their pocket. so i can agree with the fact that miniority government isnt the end of the world and 3 parties isnt so bad either. we just have to get out of the american mentality of a 2 party system.