Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Jammed session

Parliament resumes Monday for what could be one of the most acrimonious sessions in years with arguably the most important federal budget in nearly two decades.

Thousands of public-sector jobs, billions of dollars in federal spending cuts and the popularity of the Conservative regime are all potentially on the line in a spring session of the House of Commons that will be dominated by the first budget put forward by a majority Tory government and a multibillion dollar operating review.

The government also will look to flex its majority muscles by passing contentious legislation to introduce Senate reform, eliminate the long-gun registry and modernize Canada's outdated copyright laws, among other measures.

Reforms to comparatively lucrative pension plans for parliamentarians and civil servants also could be in the works as the government looks to eliminate a $31-billion deficit by 2015-16. The prime minister went further in a speech in Davos, Switzerland this week, suggesting that even the public pension system could be transformed. Without getting into specifics, he said his government will "be taking measures in the coming months."

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said during his national pre-budget consultation tour this month: "What we are going to have is a budget that takes us on the road to prudent results in the medium and longer term.

"As we prepare for budget 2012, it is clear to me that this is not the time for dangerous and risky new spending schemes that will increase deficits and raise taxes."

Harper has promised "some fairly aggressive action" to create jobs and growth, but also to "make changes in a wide range of policies of the federal government."

The stakes are also enormous for the opposition parties over the next few months.

The NDP will elect a new leader in March who will have the herculean task of trying to fill the late Jack Layton's shoes and reignite the party, whose momentum has seemingly stalled since the federal election last May.

Interim boss Nycole Turmel will continue her caretaker role until a new leader is chosen from the field of eight candidates, giving the Tories an easier ride in the Commons until the contest is completed.

The emboldened Liberals - following an impressive national convention in Ottawa dedicated to rebuilding their crumbling brand - face their own leadership questions and a difficult road back to political relevancy.

Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae, by most accounts, has performed extremely well in the position. But with the Grits building toward a 2013 leadership race, questions are mounting from within the party as to whether he'll seek the reins permanently and if the former Ontario NDP premier is the face of change many are demanding.

Yet, what's top of mind for many who navigate Canada's national political waters is arguably the most important federal budget since 1995.

Then-finance minister Paul Martin's fiscal blueprint that year identified billions of dollars in cuts, slashed tens of thousands of publicsector jobs and laid the groundwork for dramatically smaller cash transfers to the provinces.
Government departments faced substantial cuts (some saw their budgets halved over three years), corporate taxes were hiked and the governing Liberals boosted the federal excise tax on gasoline to help eliminate the red ink.

Fast-forward 17 years and a political lifetime.

Flaherty maintains this year's financial plan, which is expected to be introduced in late February or early March, shouldn't be considered an "austerity budget" - even though it potentially could identify billions of dollars in cuts as part of the federal spending review.

For the first time in its six-year tenure, the Conservative government has a majority going into the budget and doesn't need a dance partner of sorts to pass the spending plan through Parliament.

"The big issue this spring will be the budget," said Liberal House leader Marc Garneau. "It will be the most important budget - in a way, a test of the Conservative government - since they've been elected."

The Tories have basically plowed ahead with heavy spending and large deficits most of their time in office and haven't really been tested on how well they can manage the books, Garneau argued.

Now, as the Conservatives search for billions of dollars in savings, the Liberals will scrutinize the government's moves through the lens of families and jobs, he said.

"It's much easier to be dealing with surpluses or mandated stimulus than it is with having to make cuts - cuts that will result in people losing jobs and services," he added.

Treasury Board President Tony Clement is leading the government's strategic review that originally was searching for $1 billion in cuts in the upcoming 2012-13 budget, $2 billion for 2013-14, and $4 billion annually by 2014-15 and beyond.

Nearly 70 government departments and agencies have submitted scenarios for a five and 10 per cent cut to their budgets as part of an examination of about $80 billion in direct program spending.

Treasury Board officials, however, indicate they're now looking to cut deeper and more quickly than originally planned, by hunting for up to $8 billion in annual savings. Moreover, Flaherty has acknowledged some departments could face cuts of more than 10 per cent.

A number of major federal departments are believed to be facing accelerated cuts, including National Defence, Public Works and Foreign Affairs.

"Really, it is a program review, rather than a jobs review, per se. Obviously, the two are interconnected," Clement told Postmedia News in a recent interview.

While public servants face possible job cuts, changes also could be coming to their pensions and those of MPs.

Recent studies suggest pension plans for both politicians and public servants are too generous and that changes are warranted.

Members of Parliament are eligible to collect full pension benefits when they are 55, if they sit in the House of Commons for six years or longer.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says citizens cough up about $23 for every dollar an MP contributes to the "gold-plated" parliamentary pension plan.
While MPs earn a base salary of $157,731 per year, the total contributions to the parliamentary pension fund amounts to $248,668 per year, says the spending watchdog.

A separate report from the C.D. Howe Institute said federal publicsector pension plans have unfunded liabilities totalling $227 billion.

Federal civil servants currently contribute 35 per cent of pension service costs, but that rate will increase to 40 per cent next year, with the government (as the employer) contributing 60 per cent.

However, many civil service pension plans in the provinces have a contribution split of approximately 50-50. The average public-sector worker retires at 58 - four years earlier than the general labour force - with a pension of $25,000 a year.

Federal party House leaders are scheduled to meet Tuesday, when the opposition is expected to a get broad overview of the government's plan for the spring sitting.

The NDP and Liberals both said they expect the government to proceed with a number of ideologically driven policies, such as additional criminal justice legislation and axing the long-gun registry.

The government's spring parliamentary agenda is expected to include:

- Bill C-19, the Ending the Long-gun Registry Act, is expected to pass third reading early on in the session. The controversial legislation not only seeks to abolish the $2-billion registry, but also would destroy all that data that's been collected to date. The issue has long pitted rural and urban Canadians against one another and has even led to divisions within the NDP caucus along geographic lines. Quebec has been one of the most vocal opponents to the bill and wants to create its own firearms registry if the courts agree it could hang on to the federal records;

- Bill C-4, the Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act, passed first reading in June but was trumped by other legislation last fall. The bill would toughen penalties for both smuggling syndicates and the asylum seekers who pay them to come to Canada. Critics, however, say the bill targets refugees more than smugglers and is unlikely to be much of a deterrent;

- The Conservatives vow to get their copyright bill passed after two previous attempts under minority parliaments failed. The legislation, setting out what consumers and educators can and can't do with copyrighted songs, movies, video games and e-books in the age of MP3 players, will soon head to a House of Commons committee after debate as second reading ends.

The bill already contains a general anti-circumvention provision against breaking digital locks, even if it's for personal use. This includes picking a lock on a DVD purchased overseas to watch at home or to transfer a purchased e-book to read on another personal device;

- The Tory government will reveal in the coming months its plans for the controversial Office of Religious Freedom. The hope among many is that the new $20-million body situated within the Foreign Affairs Department will truly seek to safeguard the rights of religious minorities abroad. The fear is that it will be a slush fund to woo certain religious communities in key ridings to vote for the Conservative party;
- The Senate Reform Act was introduced in June and, if passed, it would impose nine-year term limits on new senators and lay the groundwork for provinces to hold Senate nominee elections.

Harper appointed seven new senators in early January, and there will be six retirements this year. Making sure their replacements are elected by Canadians won't be easy, as cracks emerged among Conservative senators about the legislation;

- On the environment, the government must stickhandle around ongoing hearings about the Northern Gateway pipeline project, promoted by Alberta-based Enbridge, that would open up new markets in Asia for oilsands exports, but is strongly opposed by First Nations and environmental groups.

While there is no sign that Environment Minister Peter Kent would be ready to introduce new regulations to cap rising greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector, he is expected to move forward with standards to crack down on water pollution from raw sewage, as well as pursue a plan to step up monitoring of the environmental impact of oilsands development.

It's not just the government's domestic policies that are attracting attention.

The prime minister says of all the world's conflicts and problems, Iran is what keeps him up at night.
Tensions over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program have reached heights never before seen, with Iranian officials and the West engaging in a dangerous war of words over one of the most important shipping lanes in the world.

At this point, all-out war looks unlikely, but Canada has been right there with its allies, tightening the screws on the Iranian regime and warning that all options are on the table.

Meanwhile, violence in Syria continues to claim the lives of hundreds of protesters and Canada and its allies are hoping the Arab League can bring about change as there is no appetite for a Libya-type intervention.

Original Article
Source: ottawa citizen   
Author: Jason Fekete 

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