What's wrong with our parliament?

[ClearWest]

What a circus. The Liberals and Conservatives are both an embarassment to this country, not only in their harmful policies, but in their outrageous behaviour when they're supposed to be professionals. It is absolutely outrageous that these people are squandering our tax dollars (again not only in wasteful programs but also...) in their full pensions and high salaries. To do what?This

EDIT: The link now works.

To me this session of question period is one example why even environmental policy can barely be left up to government. It's outrageous.

My question is this: do you think that there's something wrong with our politicians - and with our parliamentary system if we're electing people like this? (See the video first)

[Topaz]

I've been watching the government and it makes me angry that are tax dollars are going to a bunch of clowns who have their own reasons for being there! I say cut their pay checks, better yet have the Speaker start fining then with $5.oo every time he has to quiet them down, and make it 2x, 3x etc every time he has to quiet them!

[ClearWest]

Dang these long links... Does anybody know of a better way to do this?

[Charles Anthony]

Dang these long links... Does anybody know of a better way to do this?

Try this: Dion ringmaster

Somebody send me a PM and tell me whether the link works for you or not.

I will try to explain what I did but first, you have to understand that the link is more than just a link --- it contains instructions on starting up a specific media player and telling that particular player what media file to load based on your choice of download quality and so forth. The reason why the link contains all of that is because they want it to look pretty in a particular browswer.

Anyway, if you take the long link and divide it up, you will get a few separate parts, two of which refer to the locations of the media files:

mms://ctvbroadcast.ctv.ca/video/2007/02/01/ctvvideologger2_500kbps_2007_02_01_1170356930.wmv (high video speed)

and

mms://ctvbroadcast.ctv.ca/video/2007/02/01/ctvvideologger2_218kbps_2007_02_01_1170355256.wmv (low video speed)

Everything else is instructions on how to display them on the page and the pop-up window. The mms part just indicates the media player should be the vehicle instead of the browser.

What I did was change the mms into an http which tells your browser to download the file. Therefore,

Dion ringmaster (high video speed)

or

Dion ringmaster (low video speed)

Call me a multi-media geek.

[ClearWest]

Somebody send me a PM and tell me whether the link works for you or not.

It's working on mine - thanks for that. I've edited it into the main post as well.

The question period starts at around the 2 minute mark. Let me know what you guys think about it.

[Who's Doing What?]

Somebody send me a PM and tell me whether the link works for you or not.

It's working on mine - thanks for that. I've edited it into the main post as well.

The question period starts at around the 2 minute mark. Let me know what you guys think about it.

What a joke.

Too much wrong to go into.

[Catchme]

As always, the CPC lowering the level of discourse in QP. Bringing their attack ad messages into the HoC is unacceptable. Notwithstanding are their lies, lies and more lies.

Then their background heckling trying to drown out rebuttals of their lies took it over the top.

As for the repeated attack ads talking points of "you didn't get it done" coming from Harper, after his calling Global Warming a myth and the stupid nonsensical Clean Air Act, is hypocrisy at its ugliest.

[Electric Monk]

I'd like to see severe penalties for evading questions, is it too much to expect our Members of Parliament to stop grandstanding and actually answer truthfully? If so, what does that say about us as electors that they think they must behave this way to get our approval?

I'd like to imagine that the rest of the time they actually accomplish things, and Question Period is just "mugging for the cameras".

[Charles Anthony]

I'd like to see severe penalties for evading questions,

That sounds like a prescription for anarchy!

Can you imagine what would happen if politicians actually told the truth???!!???

[PolyNewbie]

ClearWest:What a circus. The Liberals and Conservatives are both an embarassment to this country, not only in their harmful policies, but in their outrageous behaviour when they're supposed to be professionals.

Its just a big dog and pony show. These people don't really have any power they are just there to keep you occupied with sidetracked from the truth.

Bankers and the British Empire run Canada through the corporations. The country is being signed over to corporations. We will one day have private police and prisons and everything will be run by private corporations for private corporations under a Feudal system.

[Charles Anthony]

We will one day have private police and prisons and everything will be run by private corporations for private corporations under a Feudal system.

Funny.

What you believe is inevitable, I believe is unlikely.

Furthermore, you fear it and I dream of it.

[jdobbin]

That sounds like a prescription for anarchy!

Can you imagine what would happen if politicians actually told the truth???!!???

Imagine if anyone actually told the truth. It is always funny to see people show disdain for politicians when they themselves do exactly what they accuse politicians of doing.

[Electric Monk]

How is it more desirable to have our parliamentarians lying to us and each other? This is an honest question.

[Fortunata]

It's not desirable to have our politicians lie to us, to evade questions by disingenuous answers or diverting attention on the questioner rather than just straight out answering. It is a dishonest parliamentary system but I guess not enough people have squawked about it so nothing has been nor will be done. To some people I know it provides endless entertainment and they look forward to it the same as they would look forward to a boxing match. It really is disheartening to say the least to see our elected clowns in action. And it is not just Steve and his merry band's fault; it's all of them. The governing party avoids direct answers but in fairness, the opposition party's questions sometimes are just as disingenuous and misleading as the answers are. I wonder where they get the idea this is acceptable?

[ClearWest]

What is the root of this problem? And how do we fix it?

I'd appreciate your insight.

[Saturn]

Dishonesty is the biggest asset in politics. An honest politician would never get elected because he won't promise what no one can deliver. The more politicians lie and spin, the more likely they are to get elected. We'll always elect the politicians who tell us that they can give us the biggest tax breaks, increase spending on health-care, education, the military, etc. the most, and pay of the debt the quickest, all at the same time. Ultimately, it is the voters' fault that dishonesty is absolutely necessary in politics. We reward dishonesty and punish the honest. So next time you want to complain about the circus Parliament is, put the blame in yourselves because the voter elected the circus clowns.

[Fortunata]

There are two types that believe in election promises, the partisan ideologue and the folks that care not to expend the energy to research and think about those promises. Is it for those the promises are made? or for those of us that are realists enough to know that promises will be broken, and since we don't expect anything else, they feel free to lie and cheat their way into office?

Regardless, this in no way corresponds to the behaviour in the HoC. It does not give approval to the lack of honesty asking questions nor answering them. Question Period is for the people; this is where they have a chance to hear their parliament in action. I would further argue that honest debate there would promote more honest debate amongst the public, such as here for example. They set the tone and the mindless masses carries on the tradition for how can you argue honest points when none are given?

[Catchme]

We will one day have private police and prisons and everything will be run by private corporations for private corporations under a Feudal system.

What you believe is inevitable, I believe is unlikely.

Furthermore, you fear it and I dream of it.

Why do you dream of it if you feel it is unlikely?

And what exactly do you like about a feudal system of overlords and serfs?

[Electric Monk]

What is the root of this problem? And how do we fix it?

I'd appreciate your insight.

FWIW, I think the behaviour in the HOC displays a mutual lack of respect among Members, and more importantly a disdain for the electorate.

Here's how, when MPs ask disingenuous questions or provide evasive "answers" that answer nothing, then proceed to attack the record of those in the past, it shows that they think we won't notice that nothing has been accomplished in the exchange but elevated blood pressures all around. Is this symptomatic of a system that rewards power-seeking more than beneficial outcomes?

The question that remains is, does this useless posturing resonate with us, the electorate? I hope not, there is work to be done.

As for how to fix it...I have no ideas yet.

[scribblet]

Havn't seen question period lately but all sides need clean up their act. As far as I'm concerned I've seen the Liberals on more than one occasion bring down the level of debate, and since they lost the election they can't seem to control their bittterness and anger at losing power.

[Catchme]

Oh, I guess you have not watched QP since the House has been back in, SCRIBBLET, the CPC, as was the case when they were in opposition have down graded the tone, sadly the Liberals are just as bad.

The Bloq and the NDP are the only ones conducting themselves with any type of manners or honesty.

[Charles Anthony]

The Bloq and the NDP are the only ones conducting themselves with any type of manners or honesty.

I agree. I would also say that the Bloc is the first party to bring common sense to the House of Commons.

As for how to fix it...I have no ideas yet.

I do not believe Parliament can be fixed but rather, it should be scrapped instead. I promote a dissolution of the federation. To me, I see no other way for Canadians to get representative government.

Why do you dream of it if you feel it is unlikely?

I do not understand the question. Most people dream of things they can not have. Do YOU have any dreams?

Might you be asking "Why do you pursue such a dream if you feel it is unlikely?" instead? If so, I have a few answers:

1) I am proud and conveying my pride comes at little relative expense

2) my efforts in such pursuits are limited

3) I am convinced that I can make the world a better place by promoting freedom and condemning coercion

4) I am not afraid of my dreams

And what exactly do you like about a feudal system of overlords and serfs?

A feudal system is not what I would promote. It is primarily the increase in privatization of public services that I welcome. However, I doubt we will see it in our lifetimes as PNoob's paranoid post describes.

What is the root of this problem? And how do we fix it?

The problem is big government or in other words, a government that is distant from its citizens.

More profoundly, the problem is also the common human trait of trying to get away with stealing from one's neighbor.

[Catchme]

The Bloq and the NDP are the only ones conducting themselves with any type of manners or honesty.

I agree.

Why do you dream of it if you feel it is unlikely?

I do not understand the question. Most people dream of things they can not have. Do YOU have any dreams?

And what exactly do you like about a feudal system of overlords and serfs?

A feudal system is not what I would promote. It is primarily the increase in privatization of public services that I welcome.

Hmmm, you stated you dream of the feudal system, I take that as promotion of it.

Oh yes, I dream, and usually have attained my dreams, however, I have never dreamed that the peoples of the world should be turned into serfs or slaves, as something that I want to have.

In my dreams, the world would actually be somewhat equal, and free of greed and insane power grabs, and I also do not think that will be attainable in my life.

[jefferiah]

I prefer not to dream when I can help it.

[ClearWest]

Has democracy become a team sport? We watch and participate in elections in the hopes that our favourite team will win. The work in parliament becomes a game where each team is trying to 'win' in some way. The problem is that when they win, Canadians lose out.

Representative democracy - elected elites with full pensions and high salaries, playing the big debate game for their respective teams. You know what, a good debate can be fun (it's why we use this message board). I bet some of us would love to watch a good verbal duke-it-out in the house of parliament. It's entertainment. But when they're using our tax money to conduct themselves in such a way? That, to me, is very questionable and wrong.

Democratic reform, anyone? Seriously, this is not acceptable. Something is wrong.