Worth the Fee to Read It

“An election if necessary, but not necessarily an election” seems to be off the table. St-Stéphane, le Dauphin Dion, has apparently reached a decision: Liberal MPs are to spend the summer communicating new Liberal policies (to be revealed shortly) to the electorate and then the fall session will “be allowed to begin”.

It is not my place today to throw wood and camp stove fuel, along with a lighted match, on the fire of controversy about the various Conservative bills and Liberal Puffery placed against them that occasionally manages to leak out around the edges of the drool and theatre surrounding Liberal indignation over “In-and-Out” and the rebuttals thereunto that pass for the nation’s business these days. Talk radio, at least here in Vancouver, is ignoring the whole sordid mess of Ottawa: none of it matters. This echoes what I was highlighting last month during the lead-up to the Vancouver-Quadra by-election: the irrelevance of the whole Ottawa thrust and counter-thrust. My guess (and, to be fair, my hope) is that when Stéphane’s Liberal MPs — the underwhelming Don Bell in North Vancouver, the indescribable Dr. Hedy Fry in Vancouver-Centre, the party-switching Ujjal Dosanjh in Vancouver-South, the lunch-bag-let-down Joyce Murray in Vancouver-Quadra, the seldom-seen Raymond Chan in Richmond and the generally-forgettable Sukh Dhaliwal in Newton-North Delta — come to hit the hustings in what on all the available history and evidence ought to be fertile ground for their party they discover that not one — not a single one — of the “policy issues” they want to talk about get any traction, or, indeed, any interest, other than the local party ground troops from the EDAs there to clap on command.

I’m not being hard, by the way, on the Liberals — the NDP MPs and the Conservative MPs are just as likely to meet quiet indifference to their presence in their ridings, and to require equal levels of support from their EDA members out to make it look good — because, frankly, if the Lower Mainland of BC is anything to go by there’s little going on in Ottawa that’s seen as mattering to people here, and even less that anyone here can do to influence what goes on in Ottawa. (Do you suppose there’s a correlation between BC’s “worst compliance record in Canada” with the Canada Revenue Agency and that sense that that happens over the mountains, across the Prairies, and through the endless lakes and forests that lie between here and the Nation’s Capital really happens on another planet?)

The Liberals, for instance, are likely to be here selling Dion’s much-anticipated Carbon Tax. BC residents, of course, will — oh, frabjous joy for Dominion Day! — be paying the BC Liberal Government’s carbon tax come July. Of course, in the grand scheme of things, 2.4¢/litre doesn’t sound like much, and as a percentage of the typical current pump price for 87 octane of $1.31.7/litre perhaps it’s not. But it’s the principle: Excise Tax, Deficit Reduction Tax (for a deficit long gone), GST & GST on the taxes!, Translink Tax … the list is long and here’s another one. The hub of cross-border shopping in Canada is across the Peace Arch/Douglas Point crossing, followed very shortly by a stop at a Washington State filling station, where, at US$3.60/US gallon, the price is still only 96.4/litre in Canadian funds. Selling yet another tax won’t be easy. Selling reversal of the GST cut — every trip to Bellingham is 2% cheaper now when you declare your purchases on a day trip — won’t go far, either.

The Liberals will be pitching their wares against the latest Statistics Canada data, which shows that BC has benefitted the least — wages up a paltry 0.7% over 2001-2006 (and how much is the cost of living up?) with increased bifurcation of the incomes of British Columbians out of the middle class and into the small but increasing-like-mad incomes of the “rich” and the growing numbers of the poor. They’ll be selling against a party with the same name, and many of the same well-known “names” involved, that gave the Premier a 54% pay increase, Cabinet Ministers a 39% increase, established independent “Boards” for BC Ferries and Translink that voted themselves massive (40-60%) increases while raising fares, and which has recently funded playground equipment at well-heeled private schools like St. George’s without a penny going to any school on the East Side of Vancouver, all because St. George’s could write the matching funds cheque and despite all the hard work of the parents and community around the East Side schools they couldn’t raise the sums required in the time available. Blatant mis-steps like these await the Liberal MPs.

It’s not even a matter of being tarred with the same brush because of the similarity of name: it’s that they’re coming back with a “Government Knows Best” approach when a spring of similar arrogance has been laid down by the Province. We get to deal with our MLAs next spring; we get to deal with these MPs now. Expect — just as in talk radio — the average citizen not to give any care as to which level of government did, or proposes, what: you’re here, I’m ticked, you must be responsible.

That lack of knowledge of where and whom to actually target, of course, is yet another indication of the disconnect involved. (The inevitable “that’s not us, that’s them” en riposte, of course, solidifies the inclination to ignore the lot of them.)

As with Chicken Little (or Professeur Puffin) the running about shouting le ciel tombe day after day has now led to the point where tune-out is complete. Vote, don’t vote; topple, don’t topple; threaten, don’t threaten; it’s all just noise now. If Ontarians, for instance, have expressed more favour for the Liberals since In-and-Out that can just as much be because Ontario’s Provincial Government is Liberal, and fighting Ottawa’s Conservatives as it might be for In-and-Out. In other places the shift is not happening, or not profound: evidence of disregard or a belief that, yes, they all do it.

What this means is that when the next election does finally come it will be fought, not on accusations of sleaze (much though a Kinsella-inspired Liberal War Room might salivate at the thought) but on policy. Chatter about global warming has died down and mostly gone away, in the face of tougher economic times (jumping food and fuel prices, slowing pay, increasing taxes and fees, fewer opportunities, knowing people who are now laid off) and a winter spent literally chattering as La Niña worked its oscillatory magic on our weather. No doubt the warming goes on, but it is not the issue it was. Feeding the family, dealing with the member in distress, wondering how to close the gap between income and every two-bit oligolopolist and agency head who thinks they’re the only one shovelling a double-digit increase at you: that’s what matters.

A bevy of MPs who have spent this year sitting on their hands or ducking for cover when the division occurs — we might call it a sit-in, except the last place they wanted to sit was in the House — will come to face a population likewise on sit-down strike. Or most of them at any rate: there will be those who shift their agitation (such as with immigrant community leaders) from the Conservatives for “changing the rules” to the Liberals for “not stopping this” (as has been threatened). For the rest of us, though, we’ll get to yell at any politician who shows their face.

It shall all be a fire storm of sound and fury — signifying nothing.

There have been a fair number of hands wrung in public about poor voter turnout at all levels of government, lately, but nothing much done about improving the situation. It’s not my intention today to try and solve all the problems in politics in Canada within 1,200 words or so — talk about trying to boil the ocean! — but to focus on just one factor:

The disenfranchised see no point in voting

What do I mean, “the disenfranchised”? Well, simply put, if you conclude that (a) the system now only turns on leaders of parties — not even the party and the rest of its cadre of candidates, but simply X, Leader of Y —, (b) once elected, leaders see no responsibility to the electors to honour their commitments, (c) once elected, leaders see no reason to invest energy in persuading us that a course change is the reasoned thing to do but simply impose the change, (d) once elected, public opinion — unless loud and highly persistent — is brushed off as “the ravings of the uninformed who should leave such matters to their betters”, and (e) the system is now so complex that getting anything done within it is a matter for intermediaries, fixers, professional supplicants and courtiers, then (f) why bother with the charade of voting?

I had always been a dedicated citizen: studying the issues, paying attention to my local candidates, avoiding reflexive party voting, trying to cast a reasoned ballot. I have followed political matters between elections; I have belonged to multiple parties over my life (if only as a financial supporter).

Living outside of Canada twice, however, forced me to realize — years later — that whilst I lived in the United States and in the Netherlands, places where I was outside the political process (not being a citizen), that I didn’t actually miss much. Things unfolded in both countries exactly as they would have had I been able to get involved, and been involved. In other words, despite all the object lessons that one vote matters, whether these be in Florida in 2000 or in Vancouver-Quadra two weeks ago, the reality was that all it mattered for was “who got to win and who got to lose”. In terms of how the national landscapes unfold, it didn’t make a whit of difference.

So, too, here in Canada — in British Columbia — in the City of Vancouver. There is no reason to be “for” anything, for there is no result obtainable 99% of the time by being “against”. Whether one is choosing positively, or simply voting to “toss the bahstids out”, makes no difference. The system trundles on, unaffected.

See how the Harper Government has been co-opted by the “Ottawa consensus” of the civil service, the central provinces’ leaders and “conventional wisdom”. See how the Federal Liberals still fail to recognize that their day as the “Natural Governing Party” died ages ago — with John Turner — and that Chrétien was an aberration brought about by the last rebellion of the voters breaking up the Progressive Conservative coalition, not the attractions of Chrétien at all (or of Martin in succession, who no longer had a divided opposition to face off against). Enough said: the stately dance continues.

Then there’s the mess in British Columbia, where we have a left:right political rationalisation completed for generations, and therefore a sense of entitlement on the majority side (the “right”). Why not? — far too many people in BC would rather die than vote for “the left” (whatever that is, these days: it’s certainly not what they think it is) no matter how crooked, dismal, abysmal, arrogant, expensive, etc. the “right” becomes. Enough said: without the threat of discipline, politics will run amuck.

Or how about the City of Vancouver. Wardless — oh, how that helps the NPA hold power! — and with neither side needing to offer anything to anyone who lives here. Unless, of course, you’re a developer, in which case have at the city and put up more ugliness. This city deserves the low-life that is Sam the Sham, Mayor of all the “people that count”.

If there was any level of government that ought to have given an opportunity to have influence, it ought to be the one closest to home — the municipal. But none of us do. At the end of the day, a municipal ballot is a long list of candidates, and no more. No wonder people block vote by party — or, as do about two out of three, ignore the whole thing. There’s no point. Taxes will rise, services will be chopped, streets will stay in deplorable state, and “prestige” will be all that matters.

Our political leaders, by making this all about themselves over the years (perhaps a good “Kicking Liberal Ass for the Good of Canadian Politics” aimed at the likes of Senator Keith Davey, Warren Kinsella and the likes is in order, if only to let off steam for their tactics of debasement), has broken faith with the institutions of responsible government. Responsible to Parliament? Three-line whips for almost every vote, trained seal tactics in the House, message management outside of it and a “who gives a damn who the candidate is” towards the constituency MP have destroyed that responsibility, which is founded in, and survives via, backbench rebellion. Responsible to the citizens? Hardly: Jeffrey Simpson was right, we elect “Friendly Dictators”, regardless of majority status or party affiliation.

That’s why we’re not supposed to talk policy, but instead positions. Why we’re not supposed to criticize, but to trash opponents. Why there are emerging “affiliation tests” across the blogosphere, and a growing hostility and refusal to see one’s challengers over a course of action as your equal and worthy of consideration and respect even in disagreement.

The MSM has their part to play in turning everything to the simple story line of a horse-race, and backroom intrigue, of course, but we put up with it, don’t we? If you don’t like the way CTV or the CBC cover matters, turn the television off — and keep it off. But we won’t do it. We deserve the outcome, the way we act.

Meanwhile, the more rational amongst Canadian citizens have checked out. They spend their time on other matters. Increasingly, an election is given and “no one shows up”. This allows the more rabidly partisan to use ever-smaller numbers to “win” — and thus reinforce the politics of position and shouting as opposed to debate and consideration. The cycle intensifies.

Eventually democracy itself will be lost, if only from a lack of interest. But that is form finally catching up to function. Democracy as a function of the political mind-set was lost a long time ago.

I doubt many will actually miss it when it goes.

In “Joyce Murray and Her Weird Nomination Return”, Steve Janke of Angry in the Great White North puts forward some information about two of the candidates facing off against each other in the by-election in my riding of Vancouver-Quadra next Monday. One would hope that this sort of information — Liberal Murray’s hands don’t seem especially clean financially from reading about how she reported her funds to secure the nomination — might be taken into account on polling day. Unfortunately, I don’t believe it will.

Here’s why. Aside from the fact that this is appearing in the blogosphere as opposed to in tomorrow morning’s Vancouver Sun (to reach this community, the story must appear in the Sun, the Province, either 24 Hours or Metro, or possibly in the Courier, or be on Global’s 6.00 pm news programme), “Questionable Liberal Finances” is — thanks to the Sponsorship matter — about as exciting a news story as “Dog Bites Man”. It’s just expected now that there’s some shenanigan or other buried there. Blair Wilson, the sitting MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast, might have been asked to leave the Liberal caucus and now sits as an Independent in the Commons, but the story of his many loans taken out and not repaid (and not reported) was an afternoon’s wonder, evoking little in the way of calls on the radio and dying as a story overnight.

It’s sad but true, but Justice Gomery’s (in my view, petulant) critique of the Harper Government’s failure to implement each and every one of his recommendations from his public inquiry having made the news has just reminded anyone paying attention of that sorry chapter in Canadian public life on the part of the Liberal Party when it was in government earlier this decade — and thus, a shake of the head and a fleeting thought of “oh, well, you know how they are” goes by without changing anything.

This is still Murray’s riding to lose, alas, judging by the density of local signs (and Vancouver does not allow candidates to place signs on public land, so every sign is on the property of a resident). Stephen Owen, after all, the previous MP, was not only quite popular on a personal basis, but between that and his Liberal affiliation — the riding went “Red” in 1984 even as Brian Mulroney gained the largest majority in Canadian history — and was never threatened by a close result again. I might personally hope for a change, but all the factors on the ground — including the lack of any discussion of the by-election in the community — suggest an uninvolved electorate who won’t be moved to vote rather than one chafing at the bit to elect a candidate.

It’s sad, really, how disaffected the whole process has become — there’s little to no media coverage, open phone programmes receive no calls about the by-election — and judging (as I’ve earlier noted here) by the lack of ground contact (my literature drops are one for the Greens and one for the NDP, with none for either the Conservatives or Liberals, and no one has actually deigned to knock on the door when I’ve been home [just about every night, actually]) the campaigns are having difficulty finding resources. Having given money to the Conservatives, I do get the mailings — including one from Ottawa from the “central office” — imploring me amongst others to “get out and knock on doors for the candidate” (Deborah Meredith). Yet the campaign office for the Conservatives (on West 4th Avenue) is often closed when I go by it. The campaign office for the Liberals is in the same block as a grocery store we frequent; while it’s open, it’s hardly bustling.

This, remember, is for a campaign where the closest next riding in play is two provinces away: all the candidates ought to have the pick of active party members “on the make” for future elections coming to help out. If they are, I’m not seeing any of it happening.

Another factor, I suspect, is sheer fatigue. We’ve had so many election near-misses that I think everyone is just plain worn out. Stéphane Dion, for instance, was in town today (for something or other; the radio host who interviewed him for a few minutes never said why — I presume he was probably doing something for the Murray campaign in the riding) and as he stumbled over trying to answer a simple question about whether he favoured a carbon tax or not (”carbon is very important in this most critical crisis, but the experts are divided…”) he never used the five minutes of air time he was given to even mention that there was an opportunity to elect the former BC Environment Minister in Vancouver-Quadra and send her to Ottawa and his caucus. He, too, sounded tired. The picture of the Prime Minister with the Premier by Coal Harbour taken a day or so ago also showed a tired man.

If they’re worn out, and we’re worn out, then no one truly will care.

That’s unfortunate, for it is at times like this that slipping one in, pulling a scam or neat trick, etc., easily happen. One can hope that nothing of the sort will happen. Janke, after all, in his posting made no accusation — and I recall that Murray is a parachute candidate (she’s represented a New Westminster riding provincially and lost in the 2006 Federal election there) leaning heavily on her younger years here. I do not recall if she was also designated as the candidate, the recipient of the Liberal Leader’s finger of fate (in the same manner as Saskatchewan’s Joan Beatty being placed without further discussion as the candidate in the by-election in that province). But, if she was, then her apparent lack of nomination expenses is quite explicable.

Less explicable, of course, are the names of those invoicing for the minimal expenses noted. Hmmm … Joyce Murray, expensing the candidacy of … Joyce Murray. Ah, well, no doubt there’s a perfectly good explanation.

Monday will come, and with it the outcome of this by-election battle. In profile this riding is quite similar actually to Toronto Centre (a riding — when it was called Toronto-Rosedale — that I actually lived in and voted in for the 1984 and 1988 elections). Vancouver-Quadra doesn’t have the “poor part of town”, of course — that’s elsewhere in the city — but otherwise it is your classic big urban riding, tending Liberal with a touch of NDP. We do have strong Conservative bastions in the riding — but haven’t had enough for years. Of course, by sign count, the Green candidate (who, I might mention, was actively opposed in seeking the candidacy by Elizabeth May personally) has made serious inroads. Not enough to win, just as the NDPer won’t either. The fight is still Deborah Meredith, Conservative, against Joyce Murray, Liberal, for the most part.

Out of force of habit, and willful ignorance, I expect Murray to take the laurels on Monday. It’s not what I hope for, but it is what I expect. And so, if she has engaged in chicanery, I expect her to get away with it and head off to Ottawa.

May she be as effective there as she was in Victoria. Which is to say, not at all.