A longtime rural resident, I use my 60 plus years of life learning to opinionate here and elsewhere on the “interweb” on everything from politics to environmental issues. A believer in reasonable discourse rather than unhelpful attacks I try to give positive input to the blogesphere, so feel free to comment upon rural issues or anything else posted here. But don’t be surprised if you comments get zapped if you are not polite in your replys.

Friday, December 19, 2008

All I want for Christmas….

…..is our parliamentary democracy to live, its been on life support for some time now whilst the “doctors” have been running around arguing about the diagnosis and fighting to see who is going to administer the shot in the arm, how much to use and even where to stick it! Like a child going through those shiny Xmas catalogs I have a long wish list, but unlike that child I do not expect to receive any of the things on my list, but I will write out the list just in case Santa is reading this!

I want ALL our MPs to put Country before self and Party.
I want consensus not confrontation to be the norm in the HoC.
I want truth not spin and propaganda from our leaders.
I want our scientists, bureaucrats and commissions free to speak their minds.
I want a strong and independent Senate to maintain those checks and balances upon our legislators.
I want a functioning parliament for more than just 93 days a year.
I want parliamentary rules strengthened, codified and followed.
I want penalties for MPs and Leaders who attack or abuse our democratic systems.
I want less “votes of confidence” and more “free” votes in the HoC.
I want our electoral system to be reviewed and made more representational.
I want party policy to have more effect on voters than party disinformation.
I want alternative partys to have a fair chance of being heard and elected.
I want the notion of minority or coalition governments being a bad thing removed.
I want independent “made in Canada” rules for our Health, Drug and Food systems to remain just that..
I want less integration and regulation “consolidation” with the U.S. not more.
I want “the man of steel” Kevin Page and the Parliamentary Budget office to be able to continue their work without interference.
I want the Auditor General to be able to publish her reports at any time, not just when parliament is sitting.
I want Canada to retain or regain control of our natural resources and our major manufacturing and financial systems.
I want that “open and accountable” government that I was promised last year.
I want public servants, federal, provincial and municipal employees to realize that the taxpayers pockets are all but empty and reduce their demands for “more”.

The list goes on, I would like to wish for a happy and prosperous new year but I do not think that even Santa can provide that, and it is far to late for any government to effect any meaningful change in the prognostication!

Cross posted at Grey Bruce Views

1 comment:

Ms. M said...

I like your list. I want those things too. Maybe next year........