To the Editor of The Toronto Star. 2000/1/12
:
Your lead editorial Jan 11th exemplifies the extent to which Parliamentary
Democracy has been corrupted in Canada. A media depiction has become the
myth and the myth the practice.
Your reference to the Reform Party as "Canada's Official Opposition"
invites a gross public misunderstanding of what democracy is and how should
work.
In a Parliamentary Democracy power flows from the people to the legislature
which is the supreme power. The Cabinet is the Executive Branch of the
legislature and serves with the permission and at the pleasure of the
legislature.
The loyal (not official) opposition is comprised of all the elected members
of the legislature who are not sworn as members of the Cabinet.
Designating a political party as the "Official Opposition" calls into being
and sanctifies the concept of a "Governing Party" and confuses the MP's
about their correct role as represenatives of their electors and not
incorrectly as representives of political parties.
When a system has been corrupted, knowing and willing participants must by
default be painted with the same brush. I am surprised at the exceptionally
large numbers of the electorate who still participate in this sham
democracy. Surprised to the same extent as the media pretends to be at the
number of electors who ignore the process.
Ed Goertzen
Peace and goodwill
Ed Goertzen,
Oshawa,
L1G 2S2,
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SIGNATURE - "Subsidiarity", Defined in the Papal encyclical
"Quadragisemo Anno", as
quoted in "The Age of Paradox" by Charles Handy". "It is an injustice, a
grave evil and a disturbance of right order for a large and higher
organization to arrogate to itself functions which can be performed
efficiently by smaller, lower bodies...".
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