In last week’s provincial election in Ontario, I held my nose and voted for the incumbent.

What irked me was not his integrity or dedication to public service, both well-proved, but that along the way, this once-bright-eyed idealist had been slapped by his party to show him who was boss. After a one-year stint as minister, he was chucked out of office. From that day on, he become party property. A conscionable person became a mouthpiece who stuck out his nose only to be led by it – a hack.

Worse, this hollowing out is commonplace – the fate of all those who pursue their ideals through our party system. Continue reading →