PM Acted Like a ‘Spoiled Child’ in Dismissing Electoral Reform: Cullen
Prince George, B.C. – A day following the federal government’s decision to officially abandon electoral reform and Skeena-Bulkley Valley NDP MP Nathan Cullen is still fuming.
“My anger, while it’s cooled a bit it is hardened by resolve. I feel betrayed by this prime minister and I think I’m not the only Canadian feeling that way because we believed him when he repeated 1,836 times, over and over, that he would follow through on his commitment to change our voting system.”
Cullen, who chaired the all-party electoral reform committee that criss-crossed the country for about four months last year, estimates the effort cost taxpayers at least $3 million dollars.
“So, flying people around, that ridiculous survey, that mydemocracy.ca thing they did where they sent every Canadian a post card and ran those stupid questions that never actually asked the question: do you want to change our voting system, if you do what kind of voting system do you want?”
He likens the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to that of a spoiled child who doesn’t get his way.
“Who couldn’t get what he wanted and said he’d take his marbles and kill the whole game.”
Despite the decision, Cullen says he won’t give up on his desire to see the voting system changed from a first-past-the-post model to a proportional voting system where MPs are elected based on the numbers of votes each party receives.
“I poured my heart and soul into this – a lot of time away from family – I’m also thinking about the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who in good faith came out to town halls and went online and phoned in their opinions,” he says.
“They believed the prime minister so no, I’m not done with this – he’s kicked a hornet’s nest.”
Neighbouring MP, Cariboo-Prince George Conservative MP Todd Doherty, was also critical of the prime ministers’ decision.
“He had a preferred system (ranked ballot) and when it was evident he wasn’t going to get that system you got what we heard yesterday,” he said.
“I think the comments that were heard from those who were there, whether it was Elizabeth May or Nathan Cullen or other members of parliament, they summed it up quite adequately.”
Comments
Nate also sounds like a spoiled child who didn’t get his way.
You got that right axman. The only people who really wanted to change the system was the Greens and the NDP for obvious reasons. The Liberals took an interest when they lost both the election and their position as the official opposition.
Once Justin got his majority (and he thinks he can do it again in four years) the idea of electoral reform went out the window.
This should not come as a surprise to anyone who voted for the Liberals. They are famous for not keeping their promises.
My suggestion for the NDP and Greens, if they want to have some access to Government is to join the Liberals. They end up supporting them most of the time in any event, so join them and have some fun. Perhaps Trudeau will give Cullen a cabinet post, or some other position that would stroke his ego.
Temper tantrum time for this politician? Sure looks like it, imho.
The postcard our residence received in the mail had very valid questions concerning the issue! They were not stupid! It was all about whether the existing system should be changed or not! We had a great opportunity to express our opinion and appreciated it!
“PM acted like a spoiled child”
I don’t think he is acting.
You are so right!!!
He was a spoiled child who has learned how to be a reasonable person.
Let us all just be glad that unlike Trump he does not go tweeting in the middle of the night telling some that they are sore losers ….. ;-)
Now, there is what I call a child shunned by his parents and sent off to a military academy who had to learn to fend for himself …. even if it meant cheating people who acted in good faith out of their money.
That’s a nice pivot from Trudeau to Trump. However the story is about anothet Trudeau broken promise. Listening to him in Parliament yesterday he sure sounded like someone who wasn’t happy about not getting his way.
By this stage in your life you should have learned that Politicians speak in generalities for at least two reasons – one to get people to make their own interpretation to capture m ore supporters and second because they cannot formulate the action in details since, unlike Trump, they listen to at least their cabinet, juggle the ideas, and reach consensus.
So, you may think that he broke a promise. What really happened is that he broke the promise you thought he made. Even if he did, it is unrealistic to think that he would make a promise without having input from others who were elected.
So to paraphrase, from a quote I read in a National Post article, “It is not (the Liberals) fault for lying to you, it is your fault for believing them.”
And you can try to rationalize it all you want, but Trudeau promised very specifically that the previous election would be the last for the FPTP system.
Put down your red pompoms and maybe start to admit the fact that Trudeau has been a disappointment in a little over his first year in office. Go ahead gus, it’s ok. I won’t think any less of you.
Ha Ha, so true! Petty AND spoiled.
Cullen could be the leader of the Federal NDP …. seems like he might think that is too much work for him.
If the federal ndp wants a bigger say in Ottawa instead of trying to change the system that has seen them consistantly in third place they should look at internal changes to their party that would make them more appealing to a greater number of Canadians.
A good place to start would be to examine the Jack Layton run for office. Had he not succumbed to cancer stood a real chance to become PM. Part of the reason for his success was a cult of personality but even a bigger factor was that Latyon was a pragmatist and changed the party dogma to better suit mainstream thinking.
So rather than picking a new leader in the mould of Layton the ndp picked Mulcair who spouted the same old party doctrine the last election. In addition while Jack seemed to have a very likable personality Mulcair on the other hand is the polar opposite-has all the likability of a pit bull. As a result they lost some 40 odd seats returning them to the also ran status.
Elizabeth May made an interesting comment. Essentially she said politicians have to avoid breeding cynicism.
In the good old days, politicians lied, and we shrugged it off. But with what happened in the states – Trump – voters are more than willing to toss the establishment out and vote in a wild card.
Look at Alberta – NDP – who’d of thought that?
Justin doesn’t have the luxury of politicians of old days. People are fed up being told one thing, getting another.
Want O’Leary for PM – just keep on doing things the tried and true Liberal way and see what we get.
Well no one can fault Trump with going ahead with his promises. But hey trudeau didn’t have a comb over which is worth voting for.
The funny thing about all this is that I don’t mind that he broke this promise. I do mind that it was used to help brand the Libs as the party of change and helped to get them elected.
I do not think that voter disgruntlement with Trudeau’s broken promise is because they necessarily want a different voting system. It is because he made a promise to do something then blatently broke his word. It could well be that after a period of proper discussion and a referendum the voters could have decided to stay with the current system. That would be their choice, as it finally was in BC. Trudeau never allowed voters a choice. That is what irritates people so much I believe.
I appreciate that he looked at the PRESENT political reality and acted accordingly! A lot of things have changed since Trump moved into the White House and not Hillary! In the long run Trudeau may be saving us from unintended bad results!
The NDP is crying foul noe, but may be grateful one day when a minority government needs its support.
I am surprised people still think ANY of the issues or promises made by Trudeau had ANYTHING to do with him getting elected. The election was all about getting RID of Harper. The liberals could have run any body as their leader and the liberals would have won.
I agree with that point of view. As well, the Canadian carpetbagger from Harvard was kicked out which I think did a lot for the Liberals becoming a viable entity once more after a long absence.
Not necessarily true, even with JT they barely squeaked out a win. This will haunt him come next election
Winning an election with the result of a majority government is contrary to the strange remark that “they barely squeaked out a win.”
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