MP Brad Trost questions the discipline meted out by his political party on members who hold differing views from the party's established policies and platform (SP Jan. 31/12.) While I might agree that vigorous debate is necessary during the development of policies, once that has occurred and the party majority votes on the issue, the rest of the party is required to support it, although some simply choose to remain silent after the fact. It is our parliamentary system. If a member simply can't abide the majority decision then he or she should leave the party, join another or become an independent. Former MP Jim Pankiw is an example.
Trost stated that he admired politicians of all stripes who have vote according to their conscience or the will of residents in their ridings rather than blindly following the national party line. That is more the republican system. The flaw in his agrument is that he may not be voting the "will or the residents." I live in his riding and have never been surveyed as to my position on abortion, birth control, Planned Parenthood, gay rights or any of his other issues. Nor have many others in this constituency.
I know of people in this riding who voted for Trost in the last election only to avoid the "orange crush" that the media was reporting was sweeping the country. Trost didn't mind standing under the party banner when it seemed to help his electoral opportunities. Although Trost attempted to re-open the abortion debate late in the election, Harper clearly stated that was not going to happen. If Trost is a man of conscience, why didn't he then step away from the party and run as an independent? And he doesn't seem to mind the backroom rule that other party members to not challenge an incumbent for the nomination.
I sincerely hope that Harper tosses Trost in the same fashion Pankiw was "released" from the Conservative party. Perhaps its that threat that has him bringing this matter forward.
As a resident of Saskatoon Humboldt I was embarassed to have Pankiw as a MP and I am equally embarassed to have Trost representing my constituency. And I say this as an independent.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
It could have been a lot worse, Mistress. If you look much farther down on the ballot, Darren Hill was running to be your M.P.
ReplyDeleteTrost may have his many, many, faults but compared to the alternatives that he was actually running against, he's in Winston Churchill/Abe Lincoln territory as a politician.
So it boils down to the best of the worst. What sad commentary. Perhaps its his holier than thou attitude that annoys me most or his position that he represents the views of residents that were not thoroughly surveyed. I get a mail out from him a couple of times a year. Why not ask these questions of residents and give the opportunity of a mail in ballot?
Delete"The flaw in his agrument is that he may not be voting the "will or the residents." I live in his riding and have never been surveyed as to my position on abortion, birth control, Planned Parenthood, gay rights or any of his other issues. Nor have many others in this constituency."
ReplyDeleteAnd he never will. And if H freezes over and he actually does, he will vote his way, anyway. If he wanted your opinion he'd tell you what it was.
"If Trost is a man of conscience, why didn't he then step away from the party and run as an independent?"
Because he's not. He's a politician who wants to get re-elected.
"And he doesn't seem to mind the backroom rule that other party members to not challenge an incumbent for the nomination."
See previous.
"As a resident of Saskatoon Humboldt I was embarassed to have Pankiw as a MP and I am equally embarassed to have Trost representing my constituency."
Me too. Though he doesn't really represent his constituency. He represents himself.