Gum-Flapping About Democracy

I'm on a democracy jag - I guess because there is so much gum-flapping about democracy in the news these days. Maybe it's the cartoon fiasco that's brought it to top of mind. Or the recent federal election here that allowed us peons to flex our democratic muscles a bit.

Whatever the reason, democracy is on my mind. And I must say I'm not happy with the state of it. Not happy at all. In fact, I am disgruntled.

Here in Canada, a succession of governments has come to office pledging to reduce the "democratic deficit" in our political institutions. So far, they've done nothing but undermine the little bit of democracy we have. Oh, they've fiddled with election dates and talked about looking at new voting systems. Sounds good. In the meantime, however, they've cut down on the actually elections we can vote in, chopped the positions we can vote for and created a slew of new appointed positions. Less voting, fewer positions to vote for and more political appointees running our lives. How does that reduce the democratic deficit?

You want some examples?

This week, the Ontario government decided our municipal politicians should get four-year terms instead of three. The reason is specious. I won't dignify it by repeating it here. But just a few years ago, municipal politicians served two-year terms. Now they will only face the voters every four years. Hooray! We have just cut local democracy in half.

This same provincial government has established local health networks to oversee the financing and distribution of regional health care. Are these new health care ubermeisters elected? You've got to be kidding. They are, of course, appointed. By the provincial government. How's that for renewing democracy?

Something closer to home?

Here in Durham Region, we pay megabucks to the guy who runs the region. He not elected. He's selected by the mayors and uber-councillors who make up regional council. I don't even know who he is. Well, some of the mayors thought it might be nice to let people vote for the top political position for a change. Make them feel like grown-up citizens and all. I mean, it's not the 1970s anymore is it? Surely we've grown past a time when a paternalistic province had to appoint our leaders for us. Forget about it. Heck, we can't even hold a referendum to ask voters if they would like the chance to elect the overpaid regional boss. Apparently you can vote for a dogcatcher and a hydro commissioner, but never, ever for the head honcho.

And on it goes.

Appointees. Smaller councils with bigger jurisdictions. Fewer elections. Nothing but a lot of gum-flapping about renewed democracy, while the real thing recedes into distant memory. The people who run things are talking the talk of democracy as they walk smartly in the opposite direction.

Jeesh! Will the Family Compact ever leave this building?

A cat's view of democracy

As you know, cats are, by nature, extreme democrats. If you share your home with a cat, you will know what I mean.

So I can look at the world (or at least the Canadian part of it) from a unique perspective. And here's what I see.

Politicians love democracy when they are in opposition, running for office or talking about some other country. When they get into power, they detest democracy. They detest democracy because it is messy and impossible.

It is messy because it shoots off in all directions, all the time, on all issues.

It is impossible because it leaves politicians with no one to deal with.

That's why we have what might be called "stakeholder" democracy -- or democracy that is conducted by making deals with representatives of various interest groups. You may call these stakeholder groups by other names -- special interests, lobby groups, whatever. But the fact is that politicians need these groups, seek them out, even set them up, in order to balance the messy, contradictory wishes of a factious populace.

This approach has worked moderately well for the past few decades, although voter participation has dropped off the charts. But it is reaching the end of its shelf life. Everyone knows it, but no one knows what to do about it.

The problem is this. Back in the day after the Last Great War, people could easily be lumped into identifiable groups. If you wanted to know what moderate Christians thought of anything, you talked to officials in the United, Anglican or soft-line Catholic churches. These people had big flocks. Together they covered most of the "interest" groups you cared about. And the people who belonged to these groups basically toed the line as far as thinking went. Same with average families -- most of them belonged to a small world of organizations, participated in similar activities and listened to the same influence peddlers. So you could easily gauge the feelings of, say, small-town merchants or parents with boys in Little League.

In more recent times, politicians could count on their identified stakeholder groups. Environmental groups spoke for people who cared about the environment. The Catholic Youth League reflected the opinions of young Catholics. The Nurses Association spoke for nurses; and the Teachers Union for teachers.

As marketing people now understand, that well-ordered world is vanishing. And it will be even longer goner in the years ahead.

So how do you practice stakeholder democracy in a 500-channel universe? In a world where most young people don't join officially recognized groups? In an environment where the moderator of the United Church hasn't got a clue what his or her flock thinks about anything? Where, in fact, most of the populace isn't part of anyone's "flock"? Where interest groups are beginning to represent a smaller and ever-shifting piece of the populace pie?

In Canada, David Emerson has just demonstrated that even political labels are more or less meaningless as indicators of people's beliefs. There may be an ideological foundation to Mr. Emerson's behaviour, but it has little to do with democracy or representative government or giving voice to the people.

Where do we go from here? The chaos of every voice for itself? Or the imposed order of "managed" governance, similar to shareholder-diddling practices we see in the corporate world? The first may produce greater vitality, a lively body politic and higher turnouts at the polls, but it will most certainly lead to messy government. The second would mean slow death for our democratic dreams.

I have no faith in Canadian leaders to make the democratic choice. This land of "peace, order and good government" has always chosen order over vitality; a civil face over a bawdy voice. Entrenched interests will always prevail. And the people, schooled as they are in their role, always defer to their betters.

A shame that. People should be more like cats.

Clash of Civilizations Ignited by...Cartoons?

At one point in my life, I thought I might be a cartoonist. No more. It's too dangerous.

Maybe I'll be a writer instead.

Oh, wait a minute. That seems to be pretty dangerous too. Remember that poor guy? What was his name? Salmon Rashday or something? Bunch of people wanted to cut his head off, as I recall. Well, maybe being a writer is a bit dangerous.

Maybe a film-maker. That would be cool.

But wait. What about that guy who was related to the artist who cut his own ear off? Theo something? Van Gogh or something? Oh, yeah. Pretty dangerous stuff that.

Guess I'll go work in a factory. That should be okay. If it's okay with you, Mr. Imam.

Sure glad I live in a free country.

Enough Already

Wow! It's a tough slog trying to have deep thoughts these days.

I don't know about you folks, but I'm finding the world rather underwhelming and boring. Same old, same old just about everywhere you look. Sports? Politics? The news? Nothing but disappointment, reruns and crazy behaviour by really odd people. What's a young cat to do for fun and excitement? Does anyone out there have anything interesting and fresh to say about anything?

No?

Oh, well.

In a negative vein then, here's a few things I don't want to hear any more about for a while:

• The Middle East, including Palestine and its residents, Israel, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. Enough already. You have occupied the centre of the news universe for far too long.
• Various ethnic groups and their longstanding grievances against all and sundry. The Middle Ages were tough on all of us. Get over it.
• Toronto's economic woes. Spring must be coming...Toronto is facing yet another fiscal crisis and must be bailed out immediately by senior governments. Guess that's what happens when you don't raise property taxes for years, but you keep adding top-drawer services that other municipalities only dream about. Ya kinda run a deficit.
• Education. Yes, yes. Blah, blah.
  
• Health care. One of the healthiest populations the world has ever seen is obsessed with illness, disease, waiting lists and grumpy doctors. What's that about?
  
• Hard-working families. Is this political code for a new kind of tribal unit or something? Can we give it a rest and speak to people as individual adults who have value in themselves?
  
• More negative bilge from Toronto's inept sports reporters. These guys report on sports as if they were working the floor at the TSX. Trade this; trade that. I hate to admit it, but Boomer was bang on. Every once in a while, can we talk about the game, guys?

I was going comment on the current controversy over Danish cartoons and the world of Islam, but I thought better of it. Not to suggest there's any intimidation or bullying out there, but I'm just not up for death threats and hate mail right now. So those who are out trolling for targets can take their putrid bag of "justice, brotherhood and love" somewhere else.

Have a good day!