Endangered Species: East Coast Conservatives

Now I don't doubt that there may always be East Coast conservatives, but as for Conservatives? After Harper calling the people of the region a bunch of lazy gets, the royalties fiasco, the Casey kerfluffle and Peter MacKay hugging the neighbour's dog it's no surprise that something like this would happen.

I was sort of among those who originally saw Elizabeth May's run at Central Nova as quixotic. The way things are going, it could prove to be visionary.

Harper vs. Local Democracy: Lessons for Electoral Reform

Decentralization, local control. I had been led to believe by conservatives that these are conservative values. Perhaps, but they are not Conservative values. After nominating Bill Casey, the Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley Conservative riding association executive was suspended. The Liberals have been criticized in the past for using central control to force riding associations to nominate "star" candidates - it would seem though that both parties are prepared to override local control in certain situations.

The next time that electoral reform is proposed some will inevitably say that it will take away local control of candidates. Once again we see that there is no local control of candidates.

If only this situation was occuring a few weeks earlier!

One of the principle benefits of first-past-the-post in eyes of its supporters is that there is local control over local candidates in a way that they claim there could not be with list candidates. And yet today we have the controversy over Bill Casey and the Conservatives. His local riding association wants him as their candidate but the central party apparatus isn't buying it. On the radio this morning they pointed out that Harper could simply refuse to sign Casey's nomination papers and that would be that. Casey's situation is high-profile enough that there is at least a chance the party apparatus might blink, but given Harper's penchant for control, I doubt it.

One can only imagine how party bosses can manipulate the situation in the hundreds of lesser-publicized nominations all across the country.

What Goes Around: Peter MacKay Edition

According to The Toronto Star, Peter MacKay is now being set up to be the victim of a stab in the back. If you've been following the saga of Bill Casey and the federal budget, you know that Nova Scotians are not overly pleased with Harper these days. If you read the whole article you find that people just aren't that into MacKay any more, to the point apparently that this may jeopardize his chances for re-election.

I suppose this is almost karmic justice for what MacKay did to those of the old Progressive Conservative Party to whom he guaranteed there would be no merger with the Alliance. Maybe if he loses his seat the next time around he can borrow the neighbour's dog and look sad in a field again.

...and then the Western-based protest party did WHAT?!

Danny Williams, Bill Casey, and now Rodney MacDonald seem to have stumbled on something unpleasant about the new Conservative party - it's really just the old Reform party inhabiting a somewhat more electable brand-name. The contempt for Eastern Canada is still there in myriad ways. Oh sure, they talk nicely to Maritimers or even people in urban parts of Ontario when they want our votes, but deep down this is a party that caters to a certain strain of Western alienation. This is the only conclusion that I can draw about the ongoing saga of the disappearing oil revenue agreements.

Actually, I don't even know if it's alienation as much as it is contempt that the Reformists cater to, but whatever it is, the new colours and the new name don't do away with it. Why do I say contempt? Well the issue here is not so much that there are disagreements on equalization - hell, I'll admit that I'm not certain what constitutes a fair deal here, what is at issue is that the Conservatives seem to have simply torn up the old agreement. No negotiation, no consultation, nothing.

*Note to Western Canadian readers: Please don't misconstrue this as a tarring of all Westerners, I'm just talking about the Reformers among you. There are alienated, parochial right-wingers in Ontario too, they just haven't had the organization to start a protest party yet.

What Bill Casey's situation can teach us about MMP

Despite Peter MacKay's assurances that no would be "fired" for their budget vote, Bill Casey is now out of the Conservative caucus. Casey was first elected in 1988 and was one of the veterans in Harper's caucus. I'm not sure what will become of Casey now, presumably he will sit as an independent unless or until he joins another part or the Tories forgive him.

The one part of any party's electoral platform that I now regularly distrust is anything to do with giving backbenchers a greater roll. Everyone talks about it, it doesn't get done. Backbenchers are, for the time being, simply cattle to be herded into the Commons for a vote.

Interestingly, one of the principle critiques of mixed-member proportional representation (MMP) is that the "list" candidates would be entirely beholden to the party. How does that differ from the state of affairs in the House today? On matters that the parties consider important, MPs are not allowed to vote their conscience as it is. A "list" MP could just as easily be booted and find a home in another party or as an independent. Come election time, s/he could attempt to get on another list or stand as an independent. Same difference.