The Loyal Opposition
O Canada: it’s time to get serious about scrutiny
Have you ever been an anti-candidate voter? Someone who doesn’t want to see one party in power so you vote for another party solely to block them? Voting “against” instead of “for” something is really unsatisfying for an optimist. There has to be another way…one that is productive and not so pessimistic.
As it turns out we just have to look to our own parliamentary system of government for another option.
Parliament is a place where, in full discussion, freedom is preserved, where one side advances arguments and the other examines them and where decisions are arrived at after passing through the crucible of public discussion.
All quotes are from a 1949 Speech by John Diefenbaker, entitled The Role of the Opposition in Parliament.
If Parliament is to be preserved as a living institution, His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition must fearlessly perform its functions. When it properly discharges them the preservation of our freedom is assured. The reading of history proves that freedom always dies when criticism ends. It upholds and maintains the rights of minorities against majorities. It must be vigilant against oppression and unjust invasions by the Cabinet of the rights of the people. It should supervise all expenditures and prevent over expenditure by exposing to the light of public opinion wasteful expenditures or worse. It finds fault; it suggests amendments; it asks questions and elicits information; it arouses, educates and molds public opinion by voice and vote. It must scrutinize every action by the government and in doing so prevents the short-cuts through democratic procedure that governments like to make…countries cannot be fully free until they have an organized Opposition. It is not a long step from the absence of an organized Opposition to a complete dictatorship.
“countries cannot be fully free until they have an organized Opposition.”
The thing that we love to hate — scrutiny — is the key to ensuring that what we end up with a functioning, accountable and transparent government. And the chief scrutineer is called The Loyal Opposition.
It is human nature for governments to find the Opposition distasteful and the longer governments are in power the more they become convinced that they govern by Divine Right and that their decisions are infallible. Only a strong Opposition can prevent a Cabinet with a commanding majority from ruling without regard to the rights of minorities.
It’s time that we got serious about our Loyal Opposition. When the votes are counted, there will be a Governing Party and an Opposition Party — not a winner and a loser. Our entire parliamentary system was built on this important balance of power. And as much as we try today to eliminate dissenting opinions in our news and social media, they are critical to our functioning democracy.
Our representatives have to take this role seriously. And as citizens and voters we have to ensure that they do.
“The reading of history proves that freedom always dies when criticism ends.”
My vote will go to the candidate with two plans: 1. a governing plan and 2. an opposition plan.
As candidates campaign, my questions for every party leader and my local federal candidates are these:
Someone is going to become the Opposition; if you are elected into an Opposition role what will you do to ensure accountability and transparency? What experience do you have that qualifies you to be the official Opposition? What election issues will require the most cross-examination and why?
If you are struggling with your choice in this election, consider the critical role of the Opposition and seek out a candidate who will fill that role with as much commitment and drive as they would if they were to form the government — and vote for them to represent you. The truth and accountability that we seek can’t happen without them.
Parliament will only remain the guardian of freedom and our free institutions so long as His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition is fully responsible and effective in the discharge of its functions.
