00:30 - 21.04.06
What is truth
Just musing tonight. There was this story in the news that illustrates another reason why gag orders are counterproductive. The person at the center of the story switched political parties to stay in power. It happens all the time, both federally and provincially. The rationale usually given is that they can be of more use to their constituents while in power than sitting on the opposition benches. I am not excusing the behaviour - just trying to explain the intent. There is a baseline of the community who see that as nothing less than the act of a traitor. Personally I don't like and don't support the party system, so it is irrelevant to me what party a person belongs to. They are elected by fellow members of their community and that is who they should be loyal to and represent/report to as best they can. I am well aware that the current system - winner take all - makes that option a very difficult choice, partly because there aren't enough elected people whose loyalty to their constituents is always their first consideration. That is why I like the local government set up the best. Your alderman/councillor is directly responsible to their citizen electors and only a phone call away.
When a gag order is placed on any group, regardless of the system used, however, it makes vulnerable the elected officials who have aroused the jealousy or anger of their fellow legislators and makes them easy targets for public humiliation. This detracts even further from the important business of governance. This fellow would have had to be out of his mind to make the statements alleged. That goes double when making them to someone who lost their job because of that elected person's choice to cross the floor. Whatever can be said about him, the fact that this person has gotten as high up in government as he has indicates that he is a survivor and very clever when it comes to playing "the game". Yet because of a report in a newspaper, citing one person who could be deemed to have an axe to grind, both he and the leader of his party are placed in an untenable situation. That leader has made it clear that any interaction with the media or any criticism of that leader that is attributed to that person is grounds for severe disciplinary action. Reporters from a variety of publications are noting that those elected or appointed officials now in the governing party of the federal government are so afraid of being caught up in a story that they are even afraid to discuss the weather with one of the fifth estate. What does a leader who has made these conditions of employment do now that rumour and innuendo replace open discussion of one's portfolio. To back away from discipline because it probably was a planted story will bring their leadership into question. To act on what appears to be a planted story will bring the leader's ability to lead into question if it is deemed he can easily be deceived by such antics. Where do you think a lot of his caucus's energy is going to be invested?
Having raised six children and volunteered in classrooms with upward of forty children over a twenty year period, I can attest to the fact that it is very hard, when one does not see exactly what transpired between two or more children, to be fair or judicious when meting out discipline on important matters, let alone what is driven by conjecture. Often the instigators of trouble work through others, misrepresent what the other child said, or even are clever enough to set up the circumstances so that it appears the other child is the naughty one. When I couldn't get to the bottom of things when my sons were small, the only solution I could find was to send them all to their rooms for a cool down period. Often the truth (I hope) came out as each one was separated from the other and the "he said, she said" factor was eliminated from the discussion. With my sons, all they stood to lose was playtime on the game stations or some equally terrible loss of play privileges. With the people playing the games cited in the paper, the loss is more about power and access. The stakes are incredibly high. Watch for a high stakes game of smoke and mirrors to be the only thing that gets said or done in federal politics while the different elected members battle it out for supremacy. That's just within the one party too. Effective government is likely to be the first casualty on the list, but that only affects electors after all doesn't it? Not only that only a portion of the people who will be playing "the game" are under the current leaders direct control. If he is to continue in this manner then the rules laid down for his party will have to be extended to each and every person in this country who has a comment that challenges or disputes a decision made about policy or legislation.
If that gag order mentality is extended out into the broader community who is likely to be affected? Well of course the biggest chill and greatest pressure will come down on the press first. Although the situation is much improved in this middle eastern country is this really how we want the reporters treated? The reporter in this story was jailed for about a week before even being seen by a lawyer, subjected to questioning without counsel and was facing 96 lashes. That would likely have cost him his life if it had been inflicted on him. Does any government have the right to silence scientists whose job it is to report their findings despite the inconvenience the truth might cause? On this particular issue the fact that seven countries including Canada and the US are working together to determine how to mitigate or prevent additional damage from occurring. Doesn't that imply that the truth is already out there? Personally as a taxpayer and an elector I am really tired of all the stupid game playing from all sides and I don't want any more finger pointing or blaming. Just get on with the business of running the country as responsible stewards for Canadians or get out of the way for those people who are capable of putting their personal interests behind them to get the job done. Like those scientists, eh? If the current group of elected officials need another reason to make that choice think of how foolish certain powers look even centuries later for silencing Galileo. History eventually catches one up. Good night dear diary.
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