Rod Love – Calgary Herald – December 15, 2009

Here is his insightful article.

I am pleased to mark my return as a regular contributor to the Calgary Herald by announcing my simple plan to save Canadian democracy. I begin with the following question: why can’t we solve our problems in this country?

I answer with the following proposition: our problems are not being solved because our ancient political system and institutions were not designed to confront the complex and fast-moving problems of to-day’s world.

Our 800-year-old British parliamentary system was based on the notion that the election of constituency-based independent members of Parliament, free to vote their conscience on any issue, would form a floating majority which would carry the day on any particular issue.

It worked. Over time, common ground was found, majorities coalesced, solutions were identified, votes were taken, problems got solved and the shifting coalitions moved on to address the next issue.

The advent of political parties in the 18th century (which continues to this day) and the subsequent loss of the independence of the MP to vote his or her conscience has upset the notion of the ability of the roving or floating majority in a parliament, made up of independents, to find their way to a solution.

You simply can’t bolt the political party concept of a republican political system onto the original, inherent independence of the MP in a British parliamentary system, and expect it to work.

Ford parts don’t work on GM cars, DVDs won’t work in a VHS, an LRT won’t run on the CPR main line, Jarome Iginla’s creativity would never work in Jacques Lemaire’s soul-destroying “neutral-zone trap,” and the dictatorship of the modern political party will never mesh with the original independence required of a member of Parliament.

The day they invented the government whip was the day the independence of Parliament died.

As a result, polarization solidifies, solutions are not found, citizens increasingly feel their parliaments are not relevant, voters drift away, turnout drops, young people won’t engage and a dwindling band of Parliament Hill denizens — politicians, bureaucrats, media, bartenders — tend not to notice that they are laughing with each other in an echo chamber made up of themselves, alone.

It isn’t working, the voters aren’t laughing. People need faith that their members of Parliament matter, that their political institutions work, and that solutions are actually achievable.

Right now, Canadians look at Parliament Hill with a combination of despair and contempt.

There is a way out of this.

Here is a hint: during the last election for the president of France, there was all manner of parties that had a candidate on the ballot on the first Sunday of voting.

However, only the top two would go on to a winner-take-all vote on the second ballot, seven days later — the second Sunday of voting.

Voila!

That is what we must do in Canada, in all 308 ridings.

On the first Monday of the next federal election, say, May 10, 2010, we have an election as usual, with everybody on the ballot.

But seven days later, on May 17, 2010, we have a runoff election between the top two, in all 308 ridings.

Think of the implications:

-We would be much more likely to have majority parliaments again (where things can get done), because those who finish second on the first round of voting get a chance to close the deal seven days later;

-We would be much more likely to have MPs from the Green party in Parliament, for example, because their strong second-place finishes in many ridings won’t go to waste, simply because their organization is wide, but not deep.

-The Bloc Quebecois, whose separatist obstructionist presence continues to frustrate the aspirations of a federalist nation, would be doomed by the federalist vote coming together on the second round of voting.

-Every MP would be elected by a majority of the voters in their riding.

-And imagine — Canadian elections would actually be exciting, stretching over a period of eight days, and produce parliaments that are a more true reflection of the voting intentions of the people.

Radical.

Rod Love is the former chief of staff to former premier Ralph Klein.

© Calgary Herald 2009

OTTAWA — The House of Commons on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed legislation enabling the provinces to harmonize their sales taxes with the federal GST, clearing the way for Ontario and British Columbia to implement the HST this summer.

The federal HST bill passed by a vote of 253-37. Only the NDP opposed the legislation.

Both Ontario and B.C. plan to combine their provincial sales taxes with the federal goods and services tax on July 1.

Economists estimate that combining the tax will save businesses in Ontario billions, because firms will no longer have to pay tax on inputs such as materials and supplies. But the tax has outraged some consumers, who will see a rise in the amount of tax they pay on items such as gasoline in Ontario, and phone and cable bills in B.C.

Eighty-two per cent of British Columbians and 74 per cent of Ontarians oppose the tax, according to a recent Ipsos Reid survey commissioned by Canwest News Service and Global National.

The public backlash has put considerable pressure on MPs from Ontario and B.C., exposing cracks in the ranks of both the Conservatives and the Liberals.

This week, Conservative MP Dona Cadman, who represents the riding of Surrey North, said she would vote against the federal HST bill. Cadman did not attend the vote on Wednesday evening.

Other Tories were expected to fall in line with the government, but some are clearly not happy about it. “I don’t get a vote on the HST, and you know that,” said Larry Miller, the Tory MP for the Ontario riding of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, after leaving a meeting of the Conservative caucus on Wednesday.

Chief government whip Gordon O’Connor declined to comment Wednesday when asked if Ms. Cadman would be disciplined for breaking party ranks. “That’s an internal matter and I’m not going to discuss that,” said Mr. O’Connor, meaning that Conservative MPs would be expected to vote with the government.

Earlier this week, Liberal MP Keith Martin, who represents the B.C. riding of Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca, said he would not show up for the vote. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff announced last week that his party would support harmonization, as the Liberals did for years while in power.

Asked why Mr. Martin was allowed to miss the vote, Mr. Ignatieff said before the vote that it was a “disciplinary matter.

“We have maintained the unity of the caucus on the HST, and I’m very proud of the way that caucus has reacted to a difficult and tough decision, which we think is the right one,” the Liberal leader told reporters.

Earlier Wednesday, the Ontario legislature passed a bill that enables a 13% HST to be come into effect. The enabling legislation passed by a vote of 56-29, with both the provincial Conservatives and NDP opposed.