Garth on Steve - 4 Oct 08

The risk called democracy

Day Twenty-sevenHere’s an instructive tale.
In the world’s greatest economy, bankers screwed up, government policies failed and millions of middle class people ended up suffering as a result. In an attempt to keep the economy from tanking further, the government decided to use taxpayers’ money to bail out the banks.
The administration came to that conclusion in, basically, one day. The law was just three pages long, but would cost $700,000,000,000. It was historic.
The people heard about it, wondered why the bankers would be saved when their own houses were being lost, and complained to their federal politicians. Actually, they buried them in emails and faxes and phone calls. They pointed out the inherent unfairness of the law and the huge gamble it represented. They called into question the wisdom of leaders who were so ready to use other people’s money to solve a problem they had themselves created, which would leave both Washington and Wall Street intact.
Bowled over by their constituents, a majority of the politicians voted against the bill, and it failed. As a result, leaders quickly made it better, tougher, more comprehensive and protective. The three-page law became 440 pages. And then it passed, but still with a vociferous opposition.
Is this an example, however imperfect, of democracy in action? Did the voters of America have a voice? Were they heard? Is this hopeful?
Not if you’re Stephen Harper, it ain’t.
Our current prime minister told voters in New Brunswick today that any Parliament he does not control after the coming election would be “dysfunctional.” That means, he warned, a minority government would be disastrous for the economy.
“Don’t go out and vote just to have an opposition,” he lectured. “Because I think if people start voting just for an opposition, we have the risk you have in the United States.”
Indeed. That risk is called democracy.
Just imagine if there’s an absolute Conservative majority government after October 14th, and if a financial or economic crisis befalls Canada. Imagine if the PMO came up with a fix which was unpalatable to you, but saved special interests. It might mean freezing bank accounts for a few months to prevent a run. Perhaps taxing RRSPs. Maybe suspending trade in stocks for a while. Or an emergency austerity program cutting social program spending. Or maybe a public bailout of CIBC or the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, adding sharply to the deficit and guaranteeing future family tax increases.
If Stephen Harper had a majority, who would stop him? Opposition MPs would be outnumbered. The Conservative caucus would be docile and pliant. The all-powerful prime minister’s office would suddenly wield far more power over this country than the American president does over his - where Congressmen and women sometimes do what their constituents ask.
Before you tell me a scenario like this is far-fetched, that Canada is not America, that we have no crisis here and sweaterman will never be faced with such choices, consider this:
• The Bank of Canada has quietly injected $20 billion into the credit markets to ensure the system does not collapse. If it did, there would be no more car loans, for example. And precious few people building cars.
• The Toronto Stock market lost 11% of its value this week, equivalent to $150 billion. And there’s more to come. The magnitude of this drop is reminiscent of pre-Depression days.
• Oil has collapsed in value from $150 a barrel to $93 in just a few months. Commodity prices are plunging because of a global drop in demand as the USA implodes. In case you forgot, Canada is a commodity-rich country which has just allowed 400,000 manufacturing jobs to be erased and factories full of machines to leave for China. That was smart.
• Real estate values are tumbling everywhere, with Toronto being the latest to see absolute price declines. I sat in a government relations meeting in my riding this week and heard confidential numbers that housing starts across the region – Canada’s most populous – have crashed by half.
• In the past few days two of the leading experts on housing markets – one Canadian, one American – have warned bluntly that there will be a mortgage meltdown in Canada. It will be the direct result of tens of thousands of people buying houses without money – the inevitable residue of the Harper disaster called zero down and 40-year mortgages. This is Canada’s own subprime.
Sadly, we are much further out on the edge of trouble than Canadians appreciate, and certainly more at risk than we’re being told. There’s no protective bubble over this country. Nor do we have a superior system. It’s delusional to believe we will not be living out the drama we’ve all been watching on CNN.
And while we can’t much change the events that may take place, affecting us all, we can do one thing. We can prepare. We can keep democracy alive.
We can elect men and women who have pledged accountability to the people. We can ensure that Parliament does not become the rubber stamp for one man’s clouded and questionable judgment. We can make sure if a storm hits, new laws and strong measures will receive full debate, proper consideration and reflect the will of the voters.
I have worked with Stephen Harper and his crowd long enough to know their game. They speak disparagingly of the voter. They talk about ‘retail politics’ and the gullibility of people – about how they can be manipulated by simple messages. They see public service as marketing and have utter disdain for the democratic process.
When Garth Turner was too noisily independent and questioned the boss, out he went. When Bill Casey stood up for his constituents, he was punted. When Michael Chong opposed nation status for Quebec on principle, he was shunned. And yet when federal minister Gerry Ritz jokes about dead, poisoned Canadians, he’s defended. In this very election, my Conservative opponent was appointed over the wishes of local party members. If elected, she will answer to one person only.
In a few days we get to vote. To send a message. What will yours be?
posted by Garth Turner on 10.03.08 @ 10:51 pm