Ottawa Insight: Last Chance to Save Canada

by Paul Wilbee

	Pierre E. Trudeau (left) and Lester Pearson.

For twenty years, I have watched with dismay as this once proud country has been slowly and systematically undermined by small, greedy people determined to turn us into a pale reflection of the United States. I can keep silent no longer.

Don’t misunderstand me. I have a great admiration for the United States in many ways. But I am a Canadian. And my country is Canada.

Since 1988, when Canadians inexplicably re-elected a prime minister who ushered in the Free Trade Agreement and all its anti-Canadian and anti-democratic provisions, I have watched as the country I love has been slowly weakened and degraded by the selling-off of its greatest assets: Inco, Alcan, the Hudson’s Bay Company, MacMillan Bloedel, Stelco -- the list is endless -- without anyone raising a finger to prevent it.

I have watched as our great national institutions like the CBC have been underfunded and undermined. I have watched as these assaults on our pride and patriotism have continued, with the public seemingly unaware or uninterested.

But now, with the election of the Stephen Harper government, Canada faces a new threat – a threat to our very democracy. This government has shown through its actions – the stonewalling of Parliamentary committees; its "playbook" to render those committees ineffective, refusals by ministers to answer questions in the House of Commons; refusals by ministers to appear before Parliamentary committees – that it has contempt for Parliament, contempt for democracy, and thus, contempt for Canada. I firmly believe that if this government is re-elected with a majority, or even another minority, Canadian democracy is in peril. And if you think that doesn’t matter, just ask a new Canadian who has lived under a non-democratic regime.

I do not believe I am being alarmist about this. Stephen Harper and his party do not think like Canadians. Their mindset is American. Witness his determination to change the Senate, an institution which has played a long and vital role as a House of sober, second thought, and should be left alone.

If Mr. Harper is re-elected, I believe it is only a matter of time before he introduces some form of electronic voting in this country. And once we abandon our time-honoured paper ballot system, we will never again be sure that our elections are legitimate. A voting machine can be programmed to do anything.

So we stand at a crossroads in this country. We have a very serious choice to make, and we will have to make it very soon.

As I consider Canada in 2008, I think back to our first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, who turned an improbable dream into a nation. I think of Alexander Mackenzie, our second Prime Minister, who gave us the secret ballot – real democracy. I think of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, who helped unite the two solitudes. I think of John Diefenbaker, who gave us a Bill of Rights. I think of Lester B. Pearson, who gave us our cherished flag. I think of Tommy Douglas, the father of the best health care system in the world.

I think of the words of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, so timely now. "Who speaks for Canada?"

Of his final words at the 1984 Convention. "Our dreams for this magnificent country will never die."

And now, as we decide whether we will fight to preserve democracy in this finest of all nations, I paraphrase that great man. "And they want to take democracy away from our children and grandchildren?

"No. That’s our answer."

Subscribe to RSS feeds

Become a Member:

Would you like to see other similar articles and critical commentaries in The Canadian National Newspaper? Then, show your support. Make a member-pledge donation, in support of the Membership Drive of the Pro-Democracy Media Foundation.

The Canadian can only continue to publish investigative articles in such areas, with the donations from members of the public in Canada, the U.S., and abroad. Consider making a donation of $50.00, $75.00, $100.00, $200.00 or more. Donors are eligible to receive our first collector's print edition in mail. Alternatively, you can send us a note to be placed on our special email list of members. Member-donors can also suggest articles or commentaries to be published in The Canadian.

The Canadian is a socially progressive and not-for-profit national newspaper, with an international readership. We provide an alternative to the for-profit commercial focused media, which often censors vital information and perspective of potential interest to the diverse Canadian public, and other peoples internationally.

Become a member of The Canadian, with your donation-pledge. Help support independent, progressive, and not-for-profit journalism.