Vancouver Province
for June 6, 2002

Liberals are experts at making one feel as if whatever happens to them is of critical importance to the future of the nation. The latest manifestation of this phenomenon is the hushed tones with which the name Paul Martin is mentioned. It’s as if this man, because he is better than the inadequate little man from Shawinigan, is the answer to our prayers. One half expects the next Liberal conclave that decides these things to send smoke up a chimney and pronounce “habem papem” to the grateful masses as Paul Martin dons the sacred white beanie.

Won’t anyone ask Mr. Martin, now devoid of a minister’s salary but quite able to get by on his offshore sheltered income, any hard questions? Will any Liberal from British Columbia have the temerity to do so?

Silly question, Rafe – to be a Liberal is to submit to toadyism and acceptance of the principle that the only important consideration is that the Liberals be re-elected and that Liberal leadership hopefuls need never give real answers to real questions.

What are some questions, you ask?

Well, even the canapé nibblers and Martini sippers in the Ottawa Press Gallery who have built careers on never asking a Liberal a question that doesn’t have a platitudinous answer readily available, have come to see that Parliament doesn’t work. Not doesn’t work well – doesn’t work at all. MPs aren’t nobodies 50 yards off Parliament Hill as Trudeau claimed – there is no geographical limitation whatever. Miraculously, they’ve even noticed that some parts of the country have, effectively, no representation at all.

One might then ask if, since MPs are lickspittles who exchange hopes for promotion for blind party obedience, who cares? But let’s just cast aside this eminently justified cynicism for a moment and suppose that with a little leadership parliament could become parliament again and places outside Ontario and Quebec could have a share of power. Big leap of faith, I grant you, but let’s give it a try with these questions to Mr. Martin demanding concrete answers, not the sort of mindless twaddle Liberals always give when cornered.

What about it, Paul Martin? What are you going to do, forthwith, about the law which places a floor on the number of MPs provinces losing relative population must have, thus depriving British Columbia of about a dozen seats?

What will you do, in your first term of office, to rectify the disgraceful situation that sees BC with fewer Senators than New Brunswick and only two more than Prince Edward Island, which has about the same population as Kerrisdale?

What will you do, immediately, to rein in the unelected power of the Prime Minster’s office so that MPs have power and dignity again? Will you repeal the part of the Canada Elections Act that gives the leader power to withhold party status from people he doesn’t care for, thus putting political power back in the hands of citizens and reduce, if not eliminate, the power of a leader to parachute candidates into a riding? Will you permit backbenchers, by secret ballot, to select all members of Parliamentary committees and thus give back part, just a teeny part mind you, of Parliament’s power to hold the government to account?

How do you think Paul Martin would answer these questions?

British Columbia is screwed by the system. We are pitifully represented in positions of federal power because we don’t have our share of MPs and those we have are castrated by the system. With the exception of the Senate, the foregoing proposals require no constitutional amendments and minimal legislation. What is required is a Prime Minister who believes in fair play for Provinces outside Quebec and Ontario and restoration of the power and dignity of Parliament.

Do you really think Paul Martin as PM would be of even the slightest benefit to British Columbia?