Roundup: Sound the independent thought alarm

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Every time I read these headlines, I sigh and shake my head a little, because here we go again. “Indigenous Liberal MP breaks ranks with government on BC’s Site C Dam” it reads. The MP is Robert-Falcon Ouellette, and by “breaking ranks,” he has questions for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans – who grants approvals for these kinds of things – and he plans to ask him in caucus next week. Oooh, someone had better sound the independent thought alarm!

It seems that most of my fellow journalists have forgotten that it’s the job of backbenchers – even those of the governing party – to hold the government (meaning cabinet) to account. They’re supposed to ask questions and to not just give them a pass. Ouellette is doing his job. But by sensationalizing it (which this headline clearly does), and portraying it as “breaking ranks” (which he’s not – there have been no votes that he’s gone off-side with) is both demeaning to his job, and it reinforces the notion that MPs are supposed to be drones parroting the lines of their leaders, which is absurd. Not only that, but We The Media nevertheless insist that MPs are supposed to do their jobs and represent their constituents and address issues and not just parrot talking points, and yet we call them out the moment that they do just that. Why? Seriously – why are we doing this? We’re actively being destructive to our democratic system when we pull this kind of nonsense. There are far better and more effective ways that this story could have been framed that don’t privilege party discipline (which again, not actually being broken here) and this notion that MPs must be in lockstep. It shouldn’t be that difficult to do. And yet here we are.

Honestly, we need to do better if we expect better democratic outcomes in this country. We are part of the problem, and we should stop being just that.

Good reads:

  • IMF head Christine Lagarde was in Ottawa today to meet with Justin Trudeau, and she praised our fiscal policy and hoped it would “go viral.”
  • The government says there will be “modest” delays to the Energy East review process as they appoint new reviewers.
  • Brian Mulroney, meanwhile, thinks that Trudeau needs to personally take charge of the project – because government interference has worked so well with pipelines.
  • Mélanie Joly has opted not to go ahead with sesquicentennial medals, despite the tradition of awarding commemoration medals in this country.
  • Jody Wilson-Raybould improperly expensed a meal when she did that law firm fundraiser, and one has to wonder about the competence of her staff at this point.
  • Documents from the former head of the National Research Council show that he was about to roll out major changes to the organization before his abrupt departure.
  • Someone went to an electoral reform town hall, and storified the gong show that resulted.
  • A birthday gift of chocolates and flowers from a stakeholder to a CRTC commissioner has been deemed a conflict of interest.
  • Andrew Scheer has resigned his post as House Leader but hasn’t officially declared his leadership candidacy yet.
  • Michael Chong talks about the need for the Conservatives to be a party of economic and not social policy.
  • Jason Kenney will resign his seat next Friday, after a few days back in the Commons.
  • Susan Delacourt wonders if we’re simply too polite to demand health information from candidates in Canada. (Note: We did demand it of Layton; he didn’t oblige).
  • My Loonie Politics column this week looks at how our leadership contests have devolved into farce, and how to fix it.

Odds and ends:

Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes talks about her battle with depression.

Justin Trudeau’s brother Alexandre (Sacha) has a book out about his travels in China.

Stephen Harper has joined the international speaking circuit, in case anyone is looking for a boring speech punctuated with “Friends” at the start of every sentence.