Question Period
Yesterday I watched the parliamentary Question Period and as usual I found it disgusting. The protocol seems to be that the Leader of the Opposition leads off with an insulting or denigrating question, then the Prime Minister replies in kind. So it goes, back and forth. Seeking answers doesn't seem to be the motive behind the questions, but rather to score cheap political points. School boy behavior. It's no wonder that folks are fed up.
Does it have to be this way? I'm old enough to remember when it was more civil, many years ago. A government minister would preface his answer with "Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the Honourable Member for having given me notice of this question." Then would follow the straightforward answer. When was the last time we heard of anything like that? Of course, there were no cameras in the House then. It has since become a circus.
In the same way that many people watch a hockey game in order to see the fights, and NASCAR fans watch for the fiery crashes, so people watch Question Period for the insults, sneers, jeers and smears. What's wrong with us? What's wrong with the media for bringing this to us? Ancient Romans were given bread and circuses to take their minds off substantial things. It doesn't change much, does it?
Other than Question Period, the House is as quiet as a church mid-week. This is when debates are supposed to take place. I've sat in the gallery and watched this farce. Normally there are ten or twelve Members present, some reading a newspaper or their mail, some writing memos or letters, some sleeping, anything but listening to the drone of whomever is speaking. I remember John Diefenbaker, sitting on the Opposition side, rising very slowly, expecting a drum roll, and then following with innocuous blather. Anti-climax. It was funny.
So nothing close to governing takes place in this hallowed forum. The actual governing takes place in the cabinet room, in camera. No one is allowed to divulge what takes place in this inner sanctum. The main everyday work takes place in the parliamentary committees, which the media occasionally allows us to see. These committees actually do useful work. So all is not lost.
I really don't know how we could better govern our democracy. Maybe the best thing is to leave it alone and smile tolerantly.
Does it have to be this way? I'm old enough to remember when it was more civil, many years ago. A government minister would preface his answer with "Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the Honourable Member for having given me notice of this question." Then would follow the straightforward answer. When was the last time we heard of anything like that? Of course, there were no cameras in the House then. It has since become a circus.
In the same way that many people watch a hockey game in order to see the fights, and NASCAR fans watch for the fiery crashes, so people watch Question Period for the insults, sneers, jeers and smears. What's wrong with us? What's wrong with the media for bringing this to us? Ancient Romans were given bread and circuses to take their minds off substantial things. It doesn't change much, does it?
Other than Question Period, the House is as quiet as a church mid-week. This is when debates are supposed to take place. I've sat in the gallery and watched this farce. Normally there are ten or twelve Members present, some reading a newspaper or their mail, some writing memos or letters, some sleeping, anything but listening to the drone of whomever is speaking. I remember John Diefenbaker, sitting on the Opposition side, rising very slowly, expecting a drum roll, and then following with innocuous blather. Anti-climax. It was funny.
So nothing close to governing takes place in this hallowed forum. The actual governing takes place in the cabinet room, in camera. No one is allowed to divulge what takes place in this inner sanctum. The main everyday work takes place in the parliamentary committees, which the media occasionally allows us to see. These committees actually do useful work. So all is not lost.
I really don't know how we could better govern our democracy. Maybe the best thing is to leave it alone and smile tolerantly.
posted by puzzled @ 8:28 AM
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