What’s a deal to a politician?
At least the professional politician is constant in his ability to say one thing today and another tomorrow. Some might think this is a virtue; the willingness to change in response to new information, the skill to alter direction whenever necessary. Or, it could just be added evidence that the profession is based on the shallow foundations of untruth. I’m too polite to use the term lies.
During the noble election campaign, the noble candidate swears noble oaths to protect the constituent. After all, this is a representative of the old gang at home. But, in the rare air (as opposed to noble gas) of the assembly hall (and contiguous back rooms), that same elected representative is able to alter direction whenever requested, as long as the request is couched in dictatorial terms by the leader.
The federal budget passed today. Although “new deals” were cut with the Atlantic provinces just over two years ago, political expediency saw their own regional representatives make a choice that was ignoble. The party called, and the Atlantic Accords were worth much less than the paper used to publish them. An example of inflation, or something.
At least the popularity of the current minority government is in free fall. With a bit of luck, we might get a chance to return to the polls. This time, we can ALL vote the liars’ club out.
On another note, (this one much more noble), the Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe L.L.D from UPEI (1976) has just been awarded the Man Booker International prize. Two recipients of honorary doctorates from the “little university that could can” making the news in less than a week. We’re on a roll here, boys and girls!
