My wife, Maria, and I got together with some friends over the weekend to enjoy a meal, some games, and to chat. The chats were enlightening—except for my contributions, of course—and, like conversations all across this country, the topic of the long-form census came up. Now I know everyone who’s been writing about the census keeps bringing up the fact that it’s so dog-gone strange to be talking about such an obscure topic in the heat of the summer but, really, it is worth saying. Here we are, in the middle of the summer, talking about our national survey. Who would’ve thought. But the fact that the topic is still so talked about—that it isn’t going away—is particularly interesting to me.
My friends and I are from a particular segment of society. We’re young. We are, as one of my friends pointed out, “highly-educated” compared to most standards. Some of us were raised in a conservative tradition, others more liberal, and all of us are involved in the life of our local communities in some way. All of us agreed that scraping the long-form census was a very bad idea but beyond that, as the conversation evolved, it became clear that we also harboured a deep-seeded worry as well.
The worry that Stephen Harper’s Conservatives might one day win a majority.
This is the worry, and I know we’re not alone.
“What would he do with a majority?” a friend asked, “look what he’s doing under a minority government when his power is restricted.”
Indeed, it’s something to be concerned about.
Stephen Harper and his Conservatives have a long history of ignoring the facts, bypassing expert testimony and opinion, and going it their way (or the highway). There are lots of examples of this kind of behaviour and the elimination of the long-form census is only the most recent. If Harper sees fit to ignore the opinions of those that have the knowledge to give advice now, in a minority government position, what would he do if he held all of the power?
It’s come out, in recent days, that the government did little to no consultation with Statistics Canada before deciding to scrap the mandatory long-form census. The decision was made and it was only in the days after the announcement that the Conservatives scrambled to get the facts, and to explain themselves. Industry Minister Tony Clement—who as far as I can tell is a very decent guy—lied to the public, out-right lied, when he discussed the level and the timeline of consultation with StatsCan. And all of this from a government who’s position is tenuous and fragile. Imagine if they had nothing to lose.
To date, hundreds of respected organizations have lined up in support of the long-form census, against the Conservative decision. Municipalities across the country, provinces, and countless individuals have added their voices to that chorus, too. Yet the Conservatives don’t budge. In response to a Constitutional challenge from French language speakers, Tony Clement added two new questions to the mandatory short-form census, but his so-called compromise is really anything but. Our Constitution affords protections to all minorities so what about those new immigrants who will no longer receive services in the languages they speak because the government won’t know where they live?
If the Conservatives, in a minority government situation, won’t bend to widespread public discourse, what will they do with a majority?
I am not anti-Conservative, nor am I pro-Liberal or pro-New Democrat, I am pro-good government. Good government. It’s in our Constitution, it’s our right, so how about a Constitutional challenge on that point?
I’m in support of a government that responds to the people that elected it. A government that doesn’t think it has it all figured out without checking first. As a relatively educated person, I value a government that consults with the educated professionals in areas where it may be making important decisions. I value a government that listens, and that talks openly and honestly. The state of our government today, in Canada, seems shameful. They do not respond. They do not consult. They do not value the opinion of educated professionals. They don’t listen. Instead, even in a tenuous minority situation, they go their own way, they do their own thing, they act like they own the country that we gave them temporary custody of. Right now, Stephen Harper is holding only some the decision-making power. He is restricted. The worry is that he might access to everything.
Yes, this is a worry. However, one reason that he’s able to do so much with so little is because the government-in-waiting isn’t a threat (yet). If the Liberals were more powerful and stood a chance at winning an election, Harper would have to be much more cautious.