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Report from Parliament's Hill - April 23rd, 2010

By Prince George - Peace River M.P. Jay Hill

Friday, April 23, 2010 03:44 AM

A debate took place in the House of Commons this week that was so rife with hypocrisy and so blatantly anti-democratic that I would normally view it as a waste of precious time in the chamber.
 
However, in this case the debate served to reveal to Canadians a clear confirmation of the Bloc Quebecois’ motivation and an indisputable demonstration that the New Democratic Party’s very name is misleading.
 
Let me explain. 
 
Opposition Supply Days permit opposition parties to choose the subject of debate in the House. If there is an issue they believe the Government has not sufficiently addressed on behalf of Canadians, they can table a motion and the matter is thoroughly debated and voted upon by all Members of Parliament. This week, the Bloc had their supply day.
 
Their motion called for a guarantee that Quebec’s number of seats in the House of Commons would never fall below 25% even though Quebec does NOT hold 25% of Canada’s population. 
 
Now, I know many of my constituents are thinking about the irony that came to my mind when I first heard about this scheme by the Bloc. This is the same party which was founded and operates entirely upon the ultimate goal of Quebec have ZERO seats in the House of Commons!
 
What was far more surprising and hypocritical in the midst of this debate was that the NDP proposed an amendment to the Bloc’s motion. And the solution their party found favourable and fair to Canadian voters? Rather than the proposal by the Bloc for Quebec’s seat count at 25%... 24.3% was the number proposed by the NDP!
 
The New DEMOCRATIC Party proposed diminished representation for Canada’s other provinces with a guarantee that Quebec will ALWAYS have 24.3% of MPs (their current percentage) in perpetuity no matter what its population … how ‘democratic’ is that?
 
In complete contrast, our Conservative Government has taken concrete legislative action to ensure that, to the greatest extent possible, each Canadian’s vote should carry equal weight.
 
As the population of the country changes and evolves, the seat counts must be adapted. In the absence of legislation to make the necessary changes, the representation formula currently penalizes the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta with under-representation in the House.
 
That’s why our Government introduced Bill C-12 which would update the formula to restore the principle of representation by population. We’ve taken a principled and democratic approach that strikes a balance between restoring fairer representation with an increase in seats for the faster growing provinces like B.C., while protecting the existing seat counts of slower growth provinces.
 
In the end, the NDP 24.3% amendment was defeated but NDP MPs refused to vote against the Bloc’s proposal for Quebec to have 25% of seats in the House by abstaining from the vote. Fortunately, the Bloc’s motion was, in the end, defeated by those of us who believe in the principle of fair representation.
 
While Canadians saw absolutely no benefit from the day’s debate, at least it was a confirmation of the Bloc’s self-interest and voters across Canada are aware of the NDP’s rejection of representation by population. 
 

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Posted on Friday, April 23, 2010 03:44 AM in Views by Prince George - Peace River M.P. Jay Hill

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Comments

Comment Posted by: ammonra on April 23 2010 8:33 AM
Why no comment on the NDP proiposal to defer implementation of the HST until any referendum has been held? That subject is far more relevant to BC's interests than the seat count.
Comment Posted by: socredible on April 23 2010 7:35 PM
Absolutely, Ammonra. Mr. Hill can hardly lecture anyone about how 'democratic' and representative of the people the Consevatives are when his Party fails to address this issue.
Comment Posted by: Eagleone on April 23 2010 10:52 PM
Exactly, hypocrisy is ripe with the conservatives these days, HST referendum, and the Triple EEE Senate promises come to mind right away.
Comment Posted by: socredible on April 24 2010 8:38 AM
Hypocisy indeed, Eagle. The minority government Conservatives were quite willing to seek and accept the support of the Bloc in passing the HST legislation Federally. Which otherwise would not have gone through.

In other words, allowing a Party that Mr. Hill now scornfully disdains as being "anti-Canadian" to help impose a tax on British Columbians, a 'loyal' part of the country the Bloc hopes to break away from, when every indication has shown it's overwhelming NOT wanted by us.

Yet now he vigourously protests against the permanent "seat count" sought by the Bloc for Quebec? If he's not going to "represent" his constituents when the majority of us have clearly indicated how we wish to BE 'represented' in regards to the HST, what difference does it make to us how many seats Quebec or any other Province has? We haven't got "democracy" anyways.

How far we've moved (in the WRONG direction) from the early days of the Reform Party, where MPs were supposed to be enabled to be the Parliamentary voice of their constituents again. Instead of just a hollow echo of the 'spin' the tax hungry at the top are dictating they give voice to, and cast their votes for.

Mr. Hill, the Federal Conservatives are sealing their own doom in BC over this issue. Pay heed to what Jack Layton is advising you to do. Have enough sense to recognize "good advice", even if it does come from a political adversary who is no-doubt hoping you'll ignore it.

It's not too late ~ the BC public's anger is focussed on the Campbell Liberals over the way this deal was done. But that anger will not take long to boil over against your government as well if this tax is not deferred until the "will of the People" has clearly been determined.
Comment Posted by: SummerSoul on April 25 2010 6:16 AM
It is interesting to see Jay Hill defending "democracy" when his party's Members of Parliament do not represent their constituents' needs and wishes to goverment. They come back from Ottawa and dictate to US the plans of Stephen Harper and his secretive cabal of insiders.

It is also worthy of note that Harper's plan to increase the number of Members will add ones mostly from new ridings which will be right-wing. Harper will do ANYTHING to achieve that coveted majority which will give him dictatorial powers to implement his plans for Canada.