Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne does not seem to know much about democracy. She got her present job because of a corrupted controlled convention. She thinks she can just appoint whichever candidate she wants in by-elections. She really does not understand that her attitude is what is helping destroy democracy in Ontario and in Canada.
Wynne does not seem to understand that the Liberal Party needs internal democracy to survive. To stifle democracy is to encourage corruption. The current corruption leads to encouraging people who want to manipulate the party to their advantage. It establishes the party as uninterested in attracting new people. It fails to develop active youth participation in policy and other party activities. It is not a party capable of reaching out to local voters for their support.
And yet Kathleen Wynne goes to Sudbury this week and announces that disgruntled former New Democrat Member of Parliament Glenn Thibeault is running as a Liberal in the February 5 provincial by-election. It does not seem to matter to her what local Liberals think of Mr. Thibeault’s candidacy: they can like it or lump it!
It seems that Mr. Thibeault was having problems getting along with federal New Democrat Leader Thomas Mulcair. Mr. Mulcair used to be a Quebec Liberal before he became a New Democrat. Maybe that was what encouraged Mr. Thibeault to switch.
While Mr. Thibeault has a right to switch parties as he wishes, imposing him on Sudbury Liberals without a vote or discussion, smacks of autocracy. Did he even bother to buy an Ontario Liberal Party membership?
And federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is just as wrong. He and his sycophants talk about his open nominations pledge. He did not even keep his word on that. He has forced his own candidates on ridings. The party has mysteriously failed to greenlight people who apply to be a candidate in their electoral districts. And where the leader is not making the decisions, he allows local manipulators to make the decisions for him.
Democracy is a fragile jewel. It shatters so easily. We need more people to fight for our democracy. Please help.
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Copyright 2015 © Peter Lowry
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