The Power of Independence
Thursday, March 29, 2012 @ 3:45 AM
by Bob Simpson MLA Cariboo North
The last day before the Legislature broke for spring break a cabinet minister was forced to resign his seat due to misconduct. The first day back after the break a former cabinet minister resigned from the Liberal caucus, claiming the Liberal Party has lost its integrity. It’s not a fun time for the Liberal brand in BC.
John van Dongen’s departure from the Liberal Party and caucus has once again profiled the unhealthy nature of party discipline and the demands placed on party MLAs to put the interests of their political brand over those of their constituents or the province as a whole. In this case, MLA van Dongen’s departure from the Liberal caucus has allowed him to raise publicly the questions he was raising privately (for some time) within his caucus: questions about the Premier’s involvement in the sale of BC Rail and why the Liberal Party had taxpayers foot the bill for Basi and Virk’s defense during the BC Rail trial.
MLA van Dongen’s new status as an Independent has also raised questions about the effectiveness of Independents in the Legislature (despite the fact that John stated he is now a BC Conservative, he will sit as an Independent until the next election), which has given Vicki Huntington and me an opportunity to speak to this issue and argue for more Independents as one of the ways we can improve our democracy.
As MLA van Dongen will soon find out, being an Independent will give him many more opportunities to speak in the Legislature than he experienced as a government member. He will also have the opportunity to speak more freely and frequently about issues that matter to his constituents and on public policy issues that matter to him and British Columbians.
Rather than simply lobbing partisan bombs, Independent MLAs can use each piece of legislation and budget debate as an opportunity to speak to the real issues that matter to British Columbians. We can also offer detailed and constructive suggestions to government publicly (and privately) in a way that opposition MLAs are precluded from doing because their primary job is to bring the government down in the next election.
There is power in being an Independent MLA — power that comes from being unfettered from the partisanship and power politics that permeates the party system. It takes a lot more work to maximize the power this freedom brings, but I’ve found my work as an Independent MLA infinitely more rewarding than when I was working for a political brand.
– Bob Simpson is the Independent MLA for Cariboo North
Comments
It’s unfortunate that we could not do away with ‘Parties’ completely and elect MLAs based on their individual merits and abilities in being the best likely representative of their constituents.
What prevents us from doing this ultimate exercise in ‘political’ democracy is the fact that we really can have no such thing until we first have ‘economic’ democracy. For each citizen as an individual.
Today, there really is no physical reason why we could not have that latter, and in accompaniment with it, the former. But there is a type of mass-hypnosis present throughout the populace, and those we elect to ostensibly serve us, that prevents it.
That hypnosis is purely financial ~ there is an automatic assumption that finance absolutely determines reality collectively, in the Province or country as a whole, as it does for each of us individually. This is not, nor ever has been the case.
Until this is finally realised the contributions of those who would truly represent their constituents, and in reasoned co-operation with other MLAs form a government and formulate policy for the good of all, will never come to full fruition.
Here, here, Socredible
This is probable why there is such voter atrophy. I have spoken to people that always says “whats the point, the Government only listens to,or are ruled by the big corporations”. Which is not far from the truth.
Political science needs to be taught at an early age, and the importance of voting.
This is why there are wars, real people die for the right to be free,have a voice, live and vote.Bring in mandatory voting with the same penalty of the census. People should be made aware of what our Country,Province and town is doing with tax dollars at all times. Governments should be held accountable for handling the cheque book. When something goes amiss those that are involved should be fired and made an example of, not promoted.How can you run an uncorrupted Government if they live by” do as I say, not as I do”.
The way they teach kids in school should be all changed and we should be gearing our children for the real world at a young age. Policies need to change in the way this Government is run with citizen’s hard earned tax dollars. They need to listen to the people 1st then proceed accordingly, or all we’ll become is a multicultural communist country, stagnated with hate and fear.
hammy: ” I have spoken to people that always says “whats the point, the Government only listens to,or are ruled by the big corporations”. Which is not far from the truth.”
I have heard that too. It is such a defeatist attitude and a cop out, not to mention a great excuse to not to get involved.
speaking about not getting involved…have you cast your elector response regarding the proposed dike to be constructed along river road? the cost is $3,558,000.00
if the city receives 5,351 elector responses the proposal will to referendum. closing date is april 24,2012. response forms are available at city hall or online at the city website.
That’s a good reminder, Norm. Thanks.
It is no wonder people have a defeated attitude about voting. Democracy lasts for the whole voting day and then years of dictatorship follow to control the future of the party group. There is nothing democratic about this as there is little to no representation by the MLA you elected. For far too long our province has been a top down dictatorship by both left and right sides.
More political parties with elected MLAs, more elected independents would help our situation and bring some balance to our system here in BC. It isn’t voting that is the problem it is the dictatorship system that needs to be fixed.
I certainly agree that we need more independent MLA’s. One would hope that some will run in the next election. At the very least they would give us some independent representation, and with a little luck hold the balance of power.
Would they be able to resist the choice plums they would be offered to join the mainstream parties?? Who knows, however anything is better than what we have now.
I hope people are doing more than paying lip service to the Alternative Approval Process. We really need thousands of people to sign this form and send a message to the Mayor, Council, and Administration that we mean business when we say we want a vote on big money issues.
If you havent signed the form yet, then get a copy and have all your family members over the age of 18 sign, also your freinds and neibours. This is a serious issue, and its up to us to bring it to a head.
Action speaks louder than words, its not enough to want to change, it is not enough to need to change, one must experience change.
Lets get our voices heard once and for all.
The problem with independents is that very few get voted in running as an independent. People feel it’s a wasted vote.
“The Power Of Independence” is simply that your elected MLA is accountable to his/her constituents rather than a dictator premier and their advisors.
What people should have learned by repeated cycles of our party system is that our province suffers each time these polarised dynasties rise and fall.
Nothing good comes from our far left to far right political pendulum when it is the party themselves who trump everything else.
A few questions come to mind:
Why do people think that voting for a MLA who belongs to the most likely governing party actually benefits them? That sounds like a dumb question until we all end up where we are at today..as we have been many times before at the end of a party run…forced to vote out, rather than vote in the lesser of two evils. Would that inevitable result of our two party pendulum swing so hard if it were comprised of independents and other parties?
Is a majority government best or worst at finding the balanced center of our society?
Do we drive down the middle of the road and get somewhere or do we vote for one party to steer into the left ditch and then vote the other party to steer into the right ditch?..and hear and argue about how each of them is the best driver? Both sides are crash experts…and each time they crash our province one way or the other.
What person in their right mind wants to run for office and be forced to follow their party leader no matter what they decide? and no matter what it means to the people who elected them? and no matter how much they are forced to deceive people to manipulate these party goals?
foresight: “Why do people think that voting for a MLA who belongs to the most likely governing party actually benefits them?”
I’ll answer your question with a question. Why do people think that a house full of independents would be the best way to go?
I imagine it would be a lot like the reality show “Survivor”. A lot of alliances and backstabbing, with a lot of chatter and nothing getting done.
There is no ‘perfect’ system.
Indeed there is “no perfect system” but we could learn from what is wrong and work towards improvements.
I believe that many people vote for a party rather than the merits and ability of their representative.
The ndp imploded, the liberals imploded and neither have their act together nor does it appear that either will.
You could ask Carol James about her game of survival or Van Dongen or any of the other tortured souls who try to play this game…but it isn’t working very well for them either.
You can put on your party jersey and give a high five when they win only to have this representative do nothing but represent their bosses wishes.
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