Premier Dalton McGuinty certainly spouted off every bit of rhetoric on democracy he could muster when he introduced legislation at Queen’s Park that, if passed, would set the first Thursday in October as the date provincial elections would be held every four years.
“Elections do not belong to premiers to use as they see fit for their own political agenda,” the premier said in a press release. “This legislation will strengthen democracy in Ontario and help engage the people of this province in the most ambitious democratic renewal process in our history.”
Brave words, indeed. Almost enough to bring a tear to one’s eye.
Trouble is, our parliamentary system is not conducive to fixed election dates—especially in a situation of a minority government. What happens if such a government is defeated over a budget or some other major issue?
And if anything, a fixed election date will encourage, not prevent, a majority government from passing a budget full of financial goodies for everyone in the final year of its mandate with the precise aim to buy votes down the line.
Talk about premiers using something “as they see fit for their own political agenda.”
As well, you have to give voters some credit for being able to smell a political rat. Former Ontario premier David Peterson was turfed when he called an early election in 1990, and Prime Minister Paul Martin may well face the same fate later this month if the cynics among us believe he called this election to conveniently keep a lid on the sponsorship scandal until the Liberals were safely entrenched in power for another term.
A fixed election date may look nice on paper, but it’s neither practical nor workable in our current system of government. Sure, the system needs revamping, but the premier is barking up the wrong tree if he thinks this is the solution.
Unless, of course, he’s hoping that wrapping himself in democracy makes voters forget about all those broken campaign promises.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
