In The Legislature The Golden Rule Is Keep Your Mouth Shut

By Ben Meisner

It may not be the way that Canadians think  the political system should work; the tossing from the NDP caucus last week of Bob Simpson is just the way that the political landscape works.

Think about it,  if you want to get the nomination for a political party, any political party, you will need the leader to sign your papers before the nomination. You may think that under the nomination system you are deciding who the candidate will be but you don’t have the final say.

Now you get elected, well your seat is handpicked by the powers to be in the Legislature, or Parliament, if you're high profile, you get to sit near where someone with a lot of clout is sitting.

If you’re sitting near the Prime Minister or Premier you are top drawer.

Now let’s say that you want to speak on an issue, sorry ... that is left up to the House leader who will tell you, you can speak about your issue, many times later tonight after everyone has gone home.

You simply don’t get up and make a statement in the House or Legislature that has not been,” vetted” first. In simple terms you may have been elected by the voters in your constituency but you had better sit here and keep your mouth shut when you’re in the House.

So why should we be surprised that Simpson got the boot for suggesting that Carole James did not offer enough suggestions as to what should be done  when she appeared before the Municipal Convention?  It’s just the way that Politics operate.

Carole James received all sorts of advice from her handlers, some of it (judging from the results of the last election) very bad.

Simpson tried to be his own man, tried to say this is what is on my mind, and that folks you cannot do when you’re in the Political game at the show. The first thing you learn is to keep your mouth shut.

You may want to speak up on behalf of the people that elected you, but as Simpson found out, you’re not really allowed to.

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion

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