Not all of us are trained in physical sciences but we seem to easily grasp Newton’s third law of physics. It simply makes sense that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. It should come as no surprise that it also applies to other aspects of life. We have become used to it in politics. We expect it.
The difference in politics and human relations is that the reaction to a given force is not necessarily immediate. The energy expended in a slight or perceived grievance, can be stored and accumulated over time. In that time of storage, that energy can feed on itself and gain strength in its host. It can return with more energy than the original force.
After four years of an arrogant and autocratic Conservative majority government in Ottawa, you can witness the hapless hostages to their policies who are lining up for their time to react. The government scientists had their turn the other day. They had little nice to say about their political masters. Their frustration was even greater given the likelihood of little succour as long as the Conservatives rule.
What should have further enraged these scientific minds was the promise by the Conservatives to push new and less onerous greenhouse gas emissions targets out to 2030. Since they have missed all their earlier promises, nobody is really impressed with these new promises. Everyone is still waiting to see how the Conservatives intend to rein in their friends in the oil and gas sector who are exploiting the tar sands.
An unexpected blow back for the Conservatives was the charges against the RCMP under the Canada labour code for the deaths of three R.C.M. Police officers in New Brunswick. It is not possible to sue the government for what they did so the second choice was for the Mounties to be charged under Canada’s labour code. This can result in heavy fines and possible jail time. Commissioner Paulson will probably resign before going to jail for the Conservatives. After all it was Treasury Board President Tony Clement who denied the federal police the carbines and training that had been budgeted for and had been approved by Parliament.
This is just one example of how the Conservatives think they should rule—by subterfuge and deception. They lie. They belittle the parliamentary processes but use them to their own objectives. They use government resources as their own to pander to voter groups. They embarrass Canadians with their wilful abuse of Canada’s formerly decent foreign affairs operations. They put themselves forward as our guardians of peace while stirring a hornets’ nest of hatreds by choosing sides instead of diplomacy.
A government is chosen to serve the people. These Conservatives think they were elected to serve themselves.
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Copyright 2015 © Peter Lowry
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