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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1990-01-31, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1990. Democracy is messy Apart from arguments in television soap operas and hockey brawls, few of us enjoy watching people figh t so few people really like watching politicians squabble, even if at the federal level at least we’re used to seeing outrage expressed on every television news. Still, there are times when disagreements will exist and politicians owe it to the public to make their views known, even if it might bring conflict. Sometimes, in the interests of harmony, politicians at the municipal or board of education level can shrink from expressing themselves. Sometimes local politicians can try to head off potential conflict by holding in-camera meetings to work out united stands. Such events do not serve the interests of the people the politicians are trying to serve. When newspapers urge full and open debate of issues, politicians are often tempted to put it down as the newspaper wanting to stir up controversy to sell more newspapers. Hardly. Just as it is embarrassing to visit someone’s home and watch a husband a wife argue in front of guests, so it’s uncomfortable for reporters to sit in a small council chamber and watch councillors get angry with each other. But democracy is the marketplace of ideas. Just as in free enterprise we offer various products and the public has the chance to choose the best alternative, so in democracy the public should have the chance to hear all sides of an argument and support the side they feel is best. This is not neat and tidy like dictatorship where one pre-selected point of view is put forward. Democracy is noisy. Democracy is messy. As Winston Churchill said it’s the worst system of government ... except for all the others. It needs to be said Whether or not Jean Chretien wins the leadership of the federal Liberal party, whether he would make a good prime minister if he does, he has certainly done a service to his country by returning to public life by announcing his candidacy for the Liberal leadership last week. Those who have been trying to frighten Canadians into accepting the Meech Lake Accord on constitutional reform, have been making it seem the country’s future is on the line if the deal is turned down. To listen to Bob Rae, David Peterson, Robert Stanfield and other supporters of Meech Lake, it would seem that everyone in Quebec supports this deal done in the night and that to reject it now would be a slap in the face of every Quebecer. Even if it is a bad deal, they say, it must be supported. Polls, however, show that indeed many Quebecers either don’t support the deal or don’t understand its implications. The problem is that these people have been left without a voice because only nationalists in Quebec get to be heard these days, from outright separtists to people like Premier Robert Bourassa. A strong, popularleaderinside Quebec who is against Meech then has been badly needed and Chretien’s willingness to support a vision of a united Canada, not a Canada that is a group of communities loosely strung together has given Quebecers a welcome option. It has also taken away some of the ammunition of Meech supporters who see all opponents of the Accord as red neck, anti-French fanatics. Perhaps now some of the Quebec-verses-Canada rhetoric can be cooled and people can look at all the clauses that are dangerous, not just the “distinct society” clause. In his attempts to do this deal, for instance, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney has sowed the seeds of the destruction of the country by weakening central power. B.C. Premier Bill Vander Zalm’s outwordly silly proposal, for instance, that opposition to the “distinct” society” clause for Quebec by declaring all provinces are distinct societies goes along with the kind of thinking by Mulroney that got us into this mess. Quebec wanted a veto over constitutional reform so he gave it to all provinces. Quebec wanted to opt out of some federal programs and have Ottawa still provide the money for a provincial plan so Mulroney gave the same right to all provinces. All provinces got the right to nominate judges and senators. All provinces got the opportunity to block the creation of more provinces. In short, all provinces got the right to put the country into a straight-jacket that will make future changes impossible. Time and again supporters of Meech have said it isn’t possible to reopen negotiations because everybody agreed that one night at Meech Lake and they might never agree again. Yet at the same time they talk about moving on to other reforms of the senate, yet with the 10 provinces having a veto, what is the likelihood these reforms will ever take place? The emergence of Jean Chretien and the high profile he will give to the other side of the Meech issue in the coming months comes not a minute too soon. Now a fair and honest debate can begin inside Quebec and across the entire country. Rocks and snow Mabel’s Grill There are people who will tell you that the important decisions in town are made down at the town hall. People in the know, however know that the real debates, the real wisdom reside down at Mabel 's Grill where the greatest minds in the town [if not in the country] gather for morning coffee break, otherwise known as the Round Table Debating and Filibustering Soc­ iety. Since not just everyone can partake of these deliberations we will report the activities from tirtu?. tn timp TUESDAY: Billie Bean said he was not reassured to see a lot of the top businessmen in Canada come out in support of the Meech Lake agreement yesterday. “Aren’t these the same guys who wanted Free Trade, the GST and even metric?” Billie asked. “If they’re in support of all that maybe we should be against Meech Lake.” “It seems big business has to comment on everything that moves these days,” Julia Flint said. “Yes,” said Tim O’Grady, “the way Prime Minister Mulroney list­ ens to business he’ll likely soon be P.O Box 429, BLYTH, Ont NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 P.O Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $19.00/yr. ($40.00 Foreign). Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p m - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. letting the Chamber of Commerce nominate people for the Senate and the Supreme Courts just as he’s letting the provinces do it now.” WEDNESDAY: Julia was com­ plaining that what with the Com­ monwealth Games starting today, she can give up watching a lot of her favourite television shows for the next week or so. Ward Black said it wouldn’t hurt his television viewing since the games will only be on CBC and he never watches that anyway. Billie Bean said he doesn’t mind watching the Commonwealth Continued on page 22 Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. 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