It's Just Politics

Agar Adamson

Economists, climatologists, investment dealers, merchants and even fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs are all sounding very gloomy and predicting that 2008 is not going to be a wonderful year for any of us, except perhaps gold miners.

Yes, it is January, which is never considered to be one of the most stellar months of the year, but take heart; it may not be as bad as some have predicted, though with oil at or near $100 and a weak US dollar, who knows. Normally, in a U.S. presidential election year one should expect the unexpected in international politics.

When it comes to politics, it is difficult to predict the next day let alone next month. However, we know that we are going to have elections in the United States, possibly a Canadian federal election, as well as an Alberta provincial election, and if you can believe the politicians. an election in Nova Scotia which may well lead to a change of government.

We shall have municipal elections throughout Nova Scotia in the autumn. The British may well have a general election, though this appears to become less likely by each passing day. Pakistan’s delayed election will be held in February unless there is further unrest in that unfortunate country, a country where the centrifugal forces are far stronger than the centripetal ones.

At our expense, we are going to have yet another Judicial Inquiry, this one on the Mulroney-Schrieber mess. The potential fallout from this exercise is enormous.

For years, many commentators, academics and others have been arguing that politics is an honourable occupation and that the vast majority of politicians and party activists are honest, decent individuals. And now, with a second Inquiry following quickly on the heels of the Sponsorship Scandal, these two together have the potential to set back for a number of years the efforts which have been underway to cleanse the political system and to illustrate that individuals serve in elective politics at a considerable personal sacrifice not only to themselves, but also to their families. It is going to make it a great deal more difficult to recruit good people to stand for office. This is particularly true of women and we all know that we need far more women in politics especially at the national and provincial levels.

It may well be that as a result of the Inquiry, Mr. Mulroney will be cleared of any wrongdoing. Indeed, I hope this is so for the good of our democracy. But, given the events to date, it is going to be difficult for any inquiry to change the perception that is so prevalent in Canada today.

The American presidential election, once again, brings forward the question of just how democratic is the United States? The money that is being spent by all of the candidates, and in particular the so-called front-runners, is quite unseemly. In America, only the very rich or those with connections to the very rich can mount a serious campaign and that is true not only at the presidential level but also at the state level especially in both senate and gubernatorial races. The Supreme Court, the same group that defeated Al Gore in 2000, has ruled that limits on campaign expenses is contrary to the American Constitution, the first ten amendments. This is the same country in which congressional districts are adjusted, not by an impartial independent committee, as is the case in Canada and the United Kingdom, but by members of the state legislature. No wonder America is pockmarked with gerrymanders from coast to coast. Yet this is the country that invaded Iraq wishing to bring democracy to that country.

The Middle East will once again be the topic that will cloud all other issues in 2008. Can the NATO forces bring stability to that country? Will other members of NATO sit on the sidelines while the Americans, the Dutch, the British and the Canadians carry the major role and suffer the greatest number of casualties? The NATO alliance has shown its weaknesses in Afghanistan and unless the other members start to pull their weight and suffer the political consequences at home as the Canadian government is at the moment, Canada should only be concerned with the non-military aspects of the mission.

Yes, we are in the doldrums at the moment, but our plate is full and the decisions that must be made this year will be sufficient to fuel many a political debate.