Kyoto & the Canadian Government

I am not an expert on politics as I’m sure you know by now, however, when I stumbled across an article about Canada’s obligations remaining unmet by our current government, I became perplexed. The CBC's article entitled “Green group accuses Conservatives of ignoring Kyoto law” sparked my interest about Canada’s investment in the environment. To me, our future looks pretty cloudy (no pun intended…ok maybe it was).

I am already aware that Canada has not been keeping up with its promises under the Kyoto protocol, which I think is awful. Canada is full of renewable resources and yet we refuse to join other countries and reduce our emissions to protect the overall world environment. Again, I am not an expert, but I believe there are MANY more ways our government can reduce emissions in Canada. Not to mention, we never should have signed such an agreement in the first place if we knew those goals were unattainable.

Arguments have been made that the Liberal government signed the Kyoto protocol—not the Conservatives, therefore, we should not expect the Conservatives to meet goals agreed upon by the Liberals. However, many different political parties have made many agreements/policies in Canada and new governments are obliged to abide by those laws…so why should Kyoto be any different?

While reading the aforementioned article, I came across a quote from a Department of Justice lawyer that states, “The act is one of a number of several ‘unusual’ statutes that Parliament did not expect the courts to enforce.” The government did not expect the courts to enforce a LAW?? Suddenly the excuse “My dog ate my homework” doesn’t seem so absurd…

I am so tired and I am so ashamed of the plethora of excuses politicians have. I hate that our government is able to pick and choose which laws they follow and those they do not. Kyoto was created for a reason. Other countries signed Kyoto for a reason. Canada agreed to Kyoto for a reason. I believe if the politicians spent less time and money in unnecessary court battles, not only could we start mending our tainted national appearance, but we could also reduce our emissions and live in a cleaner and healthier environment. Just my opinion.

Source: “Green group accuses Conservatives of ignoring Kyoto law.” CBC.ca. Associated Press. 18 Jun 08 .

Harper's Apology

On June 14, 2008, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper publicly addressed Inuit about the residential school system assimilation policy enforced by the Canadian government for more than a century. In five different languages, three of which were of Inuit culture, Harper proclaimed, "The Government of Canada sincerely apologizes and asks the forgiveness of the aboriginal peoples of this country for failing them so profoundly."

Though some believe Harper’s speech was nothing more than another attempt to make himself look good, Assembly of First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine said the apology marked "a new dawn" in race relations. After decades of having their children isolated, removed from their homes and in some cases abused, the Inuit leaders welcomed the apology from our Prime Minister, vowed to learn from the experience, and wanted to press on.

To me, the simple apology by the Prime Minister and the forgiveness by the Inuit leaders were truly inspirational. People can view this event in any which way they please, but to me, this simple act of recognition for acts done wrong, and the desire to move on and initiate change serves as a cornerstone not only in Canadian-Inuit relations, but is also an effective strategy for resolving similar conflicts. Agree?

Source: O’Neill, Juliet. “‘New Dawn’ in race relations.” Ottawa Citizen.com. CanWest News Services. 18 Jun 08

Lay Off the Politicians

I have always had an interest in politics and many family members say it would be a great career path for me because I am opinionated, loud and outspoken—I possess all the key characteristics of a politician! However, the more I consider a career in politics, the more perplexed I become. There are times when I feel so frustrated with our government and just want to go in there and change everything myself! Then there are times where I wouldn’t want to be any part of such a thankless job.

I understand that politicians hold an important position of authority, and I recognize that they are aware of the pressures they have to deal with and the obstacles they must face in such a position, however, I do not believe that prior knowledge ever prepares them fully for the persecution by the media or the intrusion on their personal lives.

It does not surprise me that capable leaders shy away from politics. Politicians have to make numerous decisions on behalf of an entire country; he/she could make fifty acceptable decisions but the one time he/she takes a stand and/or makes a decision about a controversial issue, lobbyists, activist groups and the press attack. Furthermore, politicians need to constantly analyze the words they say or the people or phrases they agree with or disagree with. One mistake and there goes their entire career. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone. So, why then is our civilized society so unforgiving toward politicians? How does one simple mistake warrant the termination of a lifetime of work? I am not advocating that politicians should be allowed to make frequent mistakes and be reprimanded simply by a slap on the wrist, but our society should not be so quick to judge those who hold a higher level of power. It’s as if we place our politicians on a pedestal and just wait for them to fall.

I also do not believe that because someone is placed in a position of authority that person should have to disclose all aspects of his/her life to the entire world. The rest of Canadians are entitled to their privacy, so why should that right be eliminated for a politician? Though we hear about countless political scandals especially those involving adultery, who are we to judge them? There are probably thousands of people cheating on their significant others right now, but their scandals are not being documented and printed on the front page of national newspapers. I do not condone lying or adultery, but why are scandals involving politicians so much more scandalous and appalling than scandals by normal, working-class people?

In my opinion, Canada needs a true leader to step forward and take charge of the country, however, I do not blame anyone for not wanting to choose the life of a politician. Until we change the way we view and treat our elected officials, it could be quite some time until we find a great leader to take our country to the next level and steer us in the right direction. Again, that’s just my opinion.

Erin

Direct Democracy & Referendums

I was young at the time, but I do remember watching with my family, the results of the 1995 referendum, which asked, "Do you agree that Québec should become sovereign after having made a formal offer to Canada for a new economic and political partnership within the scope of the bill respecting the future of Québec and of the agreement signed on June 12, 1995?" I never dreamed the results would have been so close: 50.58% voted "No" and 49.42% voted "Yes". Looking more closely at this event now (and with more education behind me), I realize that many people, including myself, demonstrate the false consensus effect when it comes to our opinions on important issues: we think what we value is what the majority of Canadians value as well. However, it became alarmingly clear after the results of the 1995 referendum that the country was split about this particular issue. Therefore, it makes me wonder what other decisions are being made by the government (without holding a referendum) that are opposed by a large number of Canadians. This is the main reason I believe Canada should hold more referendums.

Though I have little knowledge about politics in other countries, Switzerland seems to be heading in the right direction in terms of changing the definition of democracy. Switzerland has adopted direct democracy, which gives the Swiss people a voice on issues as they arise instead of simply electing a representative every four years and trusting that person to make their decisions between elections. I believe people have lost faith in the political system (even though we are considered a democratic country) because they generally feel as if their voice, their opinion and their vote are meaningless. A lot of political parties are against direct democracy because they believe citizens are incapable of making emotional or financial decisions, but this is simply not true. For example, in Switzerland, there was a referendum to increase petrol tax and it was accepted even though it affected the voters’ personal funds.

I understand that direct democracy is still a relatively new concept but I believe it is possible to implement in Canada—or we should at least try it. Having referendums will help increase political awareness, which will hopefully generate a greater sense of control and purpose among citizens, and though current government decisions can be ambiguous, having referendums will leave no questions about what the people want.

All in all, I know direct democracy will not be a flawless process, but I believe it is a step in the right direction for Canada. We are in desperate need of a boost to our awareness and interest in Canadian politics and I believe by holding referendums, we will encourage citizens to gain a deeper knowledge of current issues and instil a sense of responsibility for our country’s future.

O Canada, Our Home & Native Land...

Canada is considered one of the greatest countries in the world because of our peacekeeping strategies and our overall pleasant demeanor. Canada is world-renowned for being a peaceful country; we can travel to places relatively easily and expect our encounters to be fairly trouble-free and uncomplicated. When I was in France a couple years ago, we went on a bus tour with a group of adults from all across Europe. Though we made small talk along the way, it wasn’t until we mentioned we were Canadians that their expressions changed and they started chatting up a storm. One woman even said she thought we were Americans because we were “so white”; she then apologized for being cold and explained how she was reluctant to speak to us because she did not ever want to make friends with an American. I was shocked but thankful I come from a country that has such a great reputation in the world. Please don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Americans, but I experienced an overwhelming sense of relief and comfort in a country halfway around the world from mine. I felt as if I were treated in a more friendly manner simply because people associated me with their idealistic view of Canadians.

So, this brings me to my question for all of you…why? We are still considered a fairly new country compared to those in Europe and have made a remarkable impression in the past 150 years, but what has Canada done to achieve such a humbling status? Who has helped form this view? Service workers? Volunteers? Diplomats? Prime ministers?

I am fairly new to politics and will be researching this topic on my own, but I am curious to know your opinions as to why Canada has such a strong reputation in the world. Or maybe you don't think we do...either way, let me know!

Erin