The opposition is adding, minusing and amending the Federal Accountability Act like the government they’re not. In their sights is removing the $1000 whistleblower reward, banning corporate donations from children and a law allowing the recall of politicians who cross the floor.
From the Sun:
By the end of a line-by-line review of Bill C-2, almost one in three of its 370 clauses are expected to be altered by an ad hoc committee dominated by the opposition parties.
Major amendments expected from the Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois include the elimination of a proposed $1,000 reward for whistleblowers, stricter limits on political donations from minors, a ban on corporate loans for candidates, a floor-crossing law allowing for the recall of politicians and even altering the French title of the proposed law…
Liberal committee member Stephen Owen plans to introduce a floor-crossing amendment that would enable voters to recall their local MPs if they switch parties. A byelection would be called if a petition signed by half plus one of constituents who voted in the previous election was collected within 60 days.
Recall? I thought the Conservatives loved this idea, the opposition scoffed at it. But since Liberal Stephen Owen wants to create a law much like Stockwell ‘Doris’ Day’s much mocked idea, perhaps Rick Mercer will start a poll to have Owen change his name to Owen Nolan.
Or perhaps not.
But unlike most people it seems, I am not in favour of banning or attempting to control floor crossings. I think it’s extremely dangerous. MPs at present answer to their bosses, the party leaders and the party whips, regularly. When told to toe the party line, they must. They have very few options. Except one.
They can walk across the floor. Yes, they can sit as an independent, but that gives them virtually no voice in Parliament, so supporting cast, no help line and no one to dance on the tables with.
This may seem small, it isn’t necessarily so. It could save the democracy, it could be the difference between saving and losing our country. If some leader who controls a majority of Parliament wanted to have their own Reichstag fire, then start suspending democracy, the best chance to stop him would be for his party members to vote against him. But if they can’t cross the floor, and he throws them out, the chance that party members would be emboldened to do the right thing are lessened.
Scenario – and please note I do not think any current or immediately future leaders would start suspending democracy for any reason. I believe we are safe from this for a while yet. But at some indetermanent time in the future, some indetermanent PM…
The Liberals hold a majority. World War Three is breaking out. Iran has nuked Israel, Israel nuked back. China uses the opportunity to become expansionist, and Muslims in Europe are rising en mass to take over Denmark, France and Italy and turn them into Muslimic dictatorships. Sides must be taken. In Canada there are two positions, that Canada should be all in, and begin a draft immediately, or that Canada become isolationist, provide a support role as necessary, with no draft. The current PM is weighing these options, when the President of the United States (Jeb or Hillary, you decide) informs him that the war effort is guzzling fuel at an alarming rate and without a constant flow of reliable oil, all will be lost. The President would like Canada to hand over sovereign control of Alberta’s oil fields for the duration.
The Liberal Prime Minister wants to do this, the Conservatives are on board. The left wing of the Liberal party, the NDP and the Bloc are appalled by the suggestion. The only way to prevent it is for enough Liberal MPs to bolt to the NDP, who can then vote down the governing Liberals to stop handing sovereign Canadian land to the USA for their war effort.
Do you really want some archaic law about floor crossing to stand between the true will of Parliament at a time like this? Do you really want to test whether the MPs are prepared to sacrifice all to do what’s best?
There are many scenarios that can be ‘war gamed’ like this, but ultimately when Parliament must act in a way that may affect our country, or world in major ways, should the MPs really be silenced.
Floor crossing is, the one weapon, and the only weapon, back bench MPs have against the tyranny of the party, and I would like to see us think long and hard before messing with it.
Uncategorized
Recent Comments