So, It's Done

Michael Ignatieff's speech at the Liberal caucus this week has lit the fuse of election speculation. Following almost two years of propping up the Conservative government, including supporting the last budget, Ignatieff has stated he can no longer carry on with that practice. Often criticized for keeping the government afloat, he is now taking hits for doing the opposite.To be clear, some Liberals were unsure prior to his speech because it's hard to read the public mood at present. Last year, the Prime Minister broke his own election law, sent everyone to the polls in a campaign nobody wanted, and was rewarded with more seats. There were a number of reasons for that outcome, but the point is that he didn't seem to respect the public mood. He was criticized then, as Mr. Ignatieff is criticized now.But something has changed, and to get into the mind of the Liberal leader it is necessary to see the difference between government and parliament. The Parliament of Canada is made up of career public servants whose job it is to insure the accessibility of the privileges of Canada to all of its citizens. As such, it has been one of the most respected institutions around the world, from healthcare administrators to the great work Elections Canada undertakes overseas in assisting other struggling nations.  It does its own research and houses its own institutional resources.Government, regardless of party, has the job of insuring that these services function smoothly and MPs are charged with helping their constituents access the system, or to challenge the system if it isn't functioning properly.  Governments are caretakers of a grand tradition and an efficient public administration.Mr. Ignatieff has now determined that Parliament, not just government, no longer works. He agreed to prop up the government in return for timely accounting on things such as isotopes, deficit repayment, proper accounting for stimulus funding and assisting the jobless. None of these was done and this showed a great disrespect for the political system. The PM agreed to play ball and then didn't.But it is in Parliament that the real damage is being done. Deputy ministers are resigning over governmental interference. The Parliamentary Budget Officer, appointed by the PM, has been threatened by the government and yet bravely continues to call it to account for not presenting any plan for deficit reduction.  Key public officials have been fired from their jobs for speaking out against Conservative intrusions. As the Conservative handbook discovered by a reporter revealed, there is a political plan in place to disrupt any Parliamentary committee seeking to hold the government to account.  Citizens are stranded abroad and the public service is receiving little support from the government to facilitate their return to Canada. Last week the government members of one committee hijacked the proceedings and ensured that Parliament would not be able to investigate the untimely deaths of Canadians from listeriosis.The list could go on, but the point is it is happening despite pleas from the opposition parties.  I know it; I've seen it and it's deeply troubling. I have spoken to too many public servants about what is happening to believe anything else. Canadians who once looked to a remarkable public service for assistance at so many different levels are now questioning the very system itself.Governments are not supposed to dismantle the very system meant to keep it accountable, but this has been going on for three years and Mr. Ignatieff has concluded it's time to end it.  The polls aren't in his favor and the Conservatives will attempt to embarrass him at every opportunity, but the reality is that he took his stand. You may agree or not, but he took it, putting an end to two years of wavering as the public service crumbled.Stephen Harper could avoid an election by just becoming accountable, but his partisan tactics fly in the face of such urgings.  A stand was taken at Sudbury, not just for the Liberals but for the health system, the pension system, the passport system, and the economic accountability system within Parliament.  You might or might not be a member of any political party, but Parliament is yours and somebody has finally opted to preserve its integrity. Like it or not, it's done and its time for Parliament, not politics, to reassume the primary place.