Last Updated:Friday - 09/24/2010

Many feel left outside the circle

Prime Minister Paul Martin began the recent federal election campaign calling for it to be an election of ideas. One had a right to be skeptical that, in a media era, dominated by 10-second sound bites, much complex discussion or debate of ideas would occur. What was bitterly ironic, however, was that whenever some Conservative candidate did raise an "idea" that might stir debate - such as bilingualism, abortion or use of the notwithstanding clause - Martin denounced any hint of outspokenness to be scary and evidence of a secret Conservative agenda.

Not that Martin was alone in the scramble to slam the door on any discussion of politically incorrect ideas. The NDP's Jack Layton was also finding some things scary and the Conservatives' Stephen Harper was heard to grumble about not needing a certain monkey on his back. The three party leaders were as one in wanting to keep a whole range of issues locked in the closet and out of public discourse.

We had, in effect, an election campaign with the prime minister accusing his chief opponent of wanting to deal with certain unmentionable topics and the opponent responding, "No, no, those topics are unmentionable and I don't want to talk about them."

All of which is quite odd in an election about ideas in a democracy. The party leaders are all so brain-washed or afraid of dealing with issues outside the one-dimensional realm of political correctness that the alternatives for voters are starkly limited. And one wonders why there is discontent and indifference among the governed!

Nevertheless, it is Harper who faces the greatest challenge before the next election. If he wants to break into Quebec and the large Eastern cities that are key to victory to him, he may well purge his party of so-called radical elements. But if he does so in order to make his party appear more accepting of diversity, he will, in fact, be limiting diversity in Canadian political discourse.

Many people already feel outside the circle. Political columnists describe that as "the West" feeling locked out of Ottawa's halls of power. Of course, the West is itself more diverse than is often supposed and, in the Liberal cabinet, the two most powerful ministers are from Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Those who have a more legitimate reason to feel shut out are those Martin was demonizing in the campaign. These are people who believe there are more values than tolerance, diversity and an ever-expanding level of material well-being. They believe that a good society must be built on the bedrock of universal moral values. You can find those people in every political party. Their MPs may be small in number and sit on the backbenches, but they are still there.

Canada will have an election of ideas when reasoned argument replaces demonizing one's opponents and when televised debates amount to something better than schoolyard shouting matches. Voters are right to believe that their intelligence was insulted by the political cacophony that was supposed to pass for a campaign of ideas.

Ordinary people do, in fact, have a practical wisdom and the intelligence to hash out political questions through honest debate. Setting the direction for our country should not be the prerogative of highly-trained experts. Democracy should be the rule of an informed and reflective electorate. And it is in the general public that we are most likely to find respect for moral values that are such an anathema to the educated elites.

The possibilities for democracy and election campaigns of ideas continue to exist. But they won't come without a thorough reform of how political leaders behave and how the media covers elections. Respect for one's political opponents and an engagement with their ideas may not make for exciting "reality TV." But it's the ground on which our democracy needs to be rebuilt.

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