Thoughtful words from the Rexman
One of the small pleasures offered up each Sunday is Cross Country Checkup. Rex Murphy does an admirable job of keeping the wild ponies (callers) corralled.
This afternoon, the question was succinct: “Amid the uproar, are MPs working on the issues you care about?“. Probably not, but the show quickly shifted from a “good, better, best” poll to the real question. Is our knowledge of the parliamentary system, and by extension, the workload a simple reaction to soundbites?
Here’s the thing; only a jaded pessimist would assume that every single member of that august chamber was a nimwit. After all, there are no anonymous members. All have passed the peer test by standing for election. All have managed to convince their neighbours of some ability, however minimal. Simply gathering together in a room with uncomfortable chairs is not enough to remove rationality.
Instead, let’s look beyond the mean remarks carried in the media. Let’s refuse to accept character assassination as the only reason for parliamentary reporting or debate. Accept that in a group of 308 disparate individual, there will be a bell curve. Unfortunately, some of those who hang out on the “disadvantaged block” of that graph will be given responsibilities beyond their ability.
Right now, the House has (again) ground to a disfunctional halt, as the “he said, she said, he did, she did” game eclipses every other story. Let the investigative team do its job, and when there is something of substance, let the House stand to it. Meanwhile, there’s a country to run. And in case you think the problem is unique to federal politics, I invite examination of the Hansard for a number of provincial legislatures. Question period might better be known as “insult without proof” period, and the loyal members clothe themselves in the robe of invincibility(protection granted by parliamentary immunity).
