It was amusing reading Jody Wilson-Raybould’s remarks yesterday seeking to justify her running as an independent candidate. What a terrible waste of talent, tenacity and time that is! It is also an embarrassing waste of money for her and her supporters. And, if by any slim chance that she wins her electoral seat, it will be an ongoing and wasted cost for the taxpayers.
Canada’s parliament, by tradition, by house rules and by acceptance of the governed, is run by and for political parties. Without bringing up the problems that the current system creates and the many abuses of the party system, it is a system that works for Canada. Until we collectively demand a better quality and more independence for our members of parliament, the system will work for parties and not for the electors.
Over the years, we have watched as poorly qualified people have manipulated our parliamentary system while those who cared about the needs of Canadians waited to be recognized. The one thing for sure is that you are but a wart on the system without the support of a recognized political party.
The one thing for sure is it costs too much to house, transport and remunerate a member of parliament for Canadians to support independents who are nothing more than a ward-healer for their electoral district. There is little else the member can do.
And that is why independents rarely win a seat. I doubt very much that Jane Philpott will win her Ontario seat as an independent. The most likely scenario, if she puts up a strong campaign, will be that she will draw off liberal support and enable the conservative to win. Will she be proud of that?
In British Columbia, no pundit is making any promises. This coming election night will be a long one until we start to learn the counts in B.C. As things stand at the moment, for every kilometre of pipe laid in the expanded Trans Mountain pipeline, another liberal stalwart will fall on the Left Coast.
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Copyright 2019 © Peter Lowry
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