My Democracy Before My Party

I have repeatedly argued that this issue, of Harper defying an Order of Parliament, and then shutting down Parliament to avoid its justice, is bigger than one person, leader or party. I have argued with Liberals, Dippers, Greens, Bloquistes & all & sundry. I respect Rice's frustration, that many Liberals feel, with trying not to rise to provocations by small-minded, mean-hearted, dishonest partisans in other camps, and like other Liberals, have found it hard. (there's an expression for such behaviour : "petites têtes, mal faites"). When one has been so critical of Iggy for so long, as I have been, and he gets it right for once, he needs to be encouraged on this path. Which was the first party to declare it would do as CAPP demanded, and come to Parliament on the 25th? The Liberals. And what party furiously refused to do so? The NDP. It is hard enough to lobby one's own party to do the right thing, and then when it finally does, resist provocations from others who are late and off-balance. But I have tried only to respond when I though it might help the responsible members of the NDP to restrain the more boisterous elements of their party. Maybe I shouldn't respond even then, as it's now clear to me that most such folk are beyond the reach of reason & appeals to patriotism & democracy. They simply can't see further than the end of their partisan egos. And I'll be honest, I find this very dispiriting. Here are 100 000s of idealistic Canadians fighting for democracy, representing millions, most of them non-partisan, new to political involvement even, asking us to look to the best within us...and far too many are so trapped in their partisan mindscapes they can only see this as another opportunity to play games & score points. Sick.

Dion, when questioned by Liberals in the 1990s on why he wouldn't campaign against the Tory leader Charest in Sherbrooke, responded simply, "my country before my party". This moment asks the same of us, that we place our democracy before our parties. We will see who is up to the occasion, and who is not. And to the cynics & blinkered partisans, I say, please, listen to the people, to CAPP, and do the right thing, it's not too late: "My Democracy Before My Party".


Below is my response to Rice, to place events in context

Of course partisanship is fine, normally. It's necessary normally. But you need to understand how unique this situation is: in refusing to obey an Order of Parliament, the Govt of Canada has refused the authority of the Parliament. That has never happened, since responsible government in 1848. In the UK, since 1649. That is the very fundamental question of democracy. Your 150 years note is hence short-sighted, as is paen to partisanship under these conditions.

But to pick up on your own theme, and 150 year time horizon, consider that the 1867 Confederation was the product of an accord between otherwise fierce partisan opponents, Brown's "Reformers" (though quite anti-Catholic, anti-French), Macdonald's Conservatives, Cartier's Bleus, each otherwise opposed, but since BNA was in complete disarray, in crisis, facing post-civil war USA with huge standing army, they came together for good of Canada, on an existential issue.

Canada did not start in 1867. Democracy did not start in 1848 (another case of an accord to bring democracy between otherwise rivals). And every time there have been such fundamental crises, democrats of good faith have come together to fight for the greater good.

Broaden & lengthen your horizon, political & historical, and turn away from narrow concerns to focus on the big picture: think big.