- Variations of the Chicken Little story have been around for hundreds of years in various countries. In many versions, the chicken believes the sky is falling because an acorn fell on its head, but the story is really about making light of mass hysteria and paranoia. As such, it seems an apt way to describe the exaggerated reactions that are now prevalent in our political systems. A classic example, I would suggest, can be found in the over-the-top nearly hysterical reaction of the federal Conservative Party to the news that the NDP and Liberals have reached an agreement that will ensure continued NDP support until 2025.
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A black man was jogging in a Georgia community two years ago, and that was suspicious enough for three white men to chase after him in a confrontation that led to him being shot to death. All three were recently convicted, including being found guilty of federal hate crimes. As this story played out in the media, I was reminded of the movie In the Heat of the Night, in which police were following up on a crime, saw a black man sitting in the railroad station (waiting for a train) and promptly arrested him for the crime.
For those tired of hearing about COVID cases, anti-vaxxers, and the Ottawa insurrection, let me share some quite different news stories. Hank the Tank (photo from New York Times, Feb 21, 2022) This is the name given to the 500 pound bear that has broken into more than two dozen homes in California, devouring available food and making quite a mess in the process. [Hank the Tank, a 500-pound bear, ransacks a California community | The Star] Hank’s food forays have obviously been quite successful since his weight is double that of an average black bear in the American west. Authorities have been unable to catch Hank and are now contemplating euthanasia. Interestingly, local residents are opposed to such a step, claiming that Hank is gentle and sweet (at 500 pounds, he better be) and far more interested in food than any people who may be in a house he invades. Just over half a century ago (October 1970) another Canadian Prime Minister named Trudeau invoked emergency legislation and declared a state of apprehended insurrection to give the police additional powers of arrest and detention. This action was in response to a request from the Quebec Premier and was to address the unlawful activities of a separatist group known as the FLQ – activities that included the kidnapping of a British diplomat from his home in Montreal and the kidnapping and murder of a Quebec Cabinet Minister.
According to media reports, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has just invoked the current emergency legislation (Emergencies Act (justice.gc.ca) to deal with the continued trucker blockade in Ottawa and, presumably, other illegal protests across the country, particularly at border crossings. Unlike the earlier crisis, there has not been any kidnapping or loss of life, but in other ways the current crisis is equally troubling in revealing how ill-prepared Canada is to defend itself against an insurrection. In a blog in late 2020 (Richard Tindal Blog - Tindal on Government (weebly.com), I lamented the increased dumbing down of the public and the lies and wacky conspiracy theories that now proliferate, prompting dysfunctional behaviour and an increasing breakdown of law and order. It is a strange and disturbing paradox that an increasingly educated population seems also to be increasingly stupid and quick to embrace whatever conspiracy theory is currently fashionable. It was recently reported that a city councillor from Kingston, nominated to run for the Conservative Party in next year’s provincial election, has withdrawn his candidacy. He decided that he could not face becoming a participant in a governing system in which political parties and their strong discipline keep elected members from representing the wishes of the voters and acting democratically.
I can appreciate the frustration about being forced to toe the party line, although such discipline is most evident within the governing party since the defection of members could lead to defeat of the government. Such defections in opposition parties, while potentially embarrassing, are much less significant in terms of political impact. Bill Murray should have been a candidate in the recently completed federal election and if they ever make a movie about it, he should reprise his role of being caught in a time loop and reliving the same day repeatedly. While there are still a few votes to be counted (and close ridings to be decided) as I write this blog, it is clear that the new federal Parliament will look almost exactly like the old one – with at most a change of a couple of seats (up or down) for the three national parties contesting the election. For as long as I can remember, most people have had a negative view of politicians, suspecting them of being in politics for the wrong reasons and ready to believe the worst of them. That has NOT been my experience. Over the course of a half century of writing and teaching about government and running countless training workshops for politicians and would-be politicians, I have had contact with thousands of these people and have come to know hundreds of them. For the most part, they have been decent, well-intentioned people who were in politics for positive reasons. |
AuthorC. Richard Tindal, Ph.D is a retired Professor of Government. He taught for 30 years at St. Lawrence College, Kingston and was an occasional Visiting Professor at Queen's University. He has also written and consulted extensively about government. Archives
October 2023
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