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PAN RILEYFeds conspiring to preserve status quoow much more political discussion on constitutional reform can one stand? How much more deliberately distorted rhetoric, fear-mongering and scare tactics, contrived “deadlines” and intelligence-insulting propaganda ?How many more constitutional committees, commissions and “think-tanks” are you prepared to pay for? That’s what I thought. Jt is now even in vogue for high-profile politicians like B.M., the dice-rolling PM, to solemnly tell us how sick we are getting of the mindless wrangling. So of course the next step is if we’re all that fed up with it, let’s just make it go away.Canadians are being subjected to one of the oldest schemes in the book:“Wear them down till they agree to anything.” Recently this has proven suc-cessful in rammipg through several other federal policies — the free trade agreement and GST.People will recall that both schemes were inflicted upon Canadians despite enormous majority public opposition. Unfortunately once again in this thriving democracy oi ours, majority rule becomes an elusive and selective commodity, subject above all to the agenda of Central Canada.While this is hardly a new revelation, it does elucidate the inescapable structural flaws of Canada’s political system. We have never had any reasonable degree of political unity or regional equality on a federal level.When was the last federal election that was not decided before the polling stations in Manitoba were even closed? When was the last time a Prairie or a Maritime province brandished a list of demands and held the rest of the country to political ransom, enthusiastically abetted by the government in Ottawa?Do current constitutional negotiations carry the perception of an above-board process? Hardly. Nothing has changed since the farce known as Meech Lake. In fact it is Meech Lake all over again, only worse. We have the same backroom dealings, the same old arrogant autocracy.There has been no end of propaganda over the supposed participation of ordinary Canadians in the multi-million dollar conference charade, in a vain attempt to give the impression of an “open process.” This is nothing more than tokenism.If you have a serious problem with this “open process,” you are far from alone. However, to hear its proponents tell it, you must be opposed to “unity” and motherhood, you are advocating intolerance and anti-French sentiments.So how does the most despised government in Canadian history (11 per cent and fading . . .) serve up this recycled Meech Lake to a nasty-humored electorate? They put a new coat of paint on it and call it “asymmetrical federalism.”In layperson’s language this translates to regional inequality, unequal representation, special status for Central Canada and more economic disparities. Are you impressed? Me neither.The Tory government is pushing this destructive scheme under the patriotic banner of “national unity.” Without national compliance Quebec will separate, the country will be irreparably fractured, economic chaos will ensue and the sky will fall. The same gloomy scenario was projected if Meech Lake failed.Mulroney, Clark and their entourage of divisionary sycophants are not promoting unity at all. Instead, the reverse is true. They are desperately striving to maintain and reinforce the status quo, i.e.: more unequal status, more power for Central Canada at the expense (again) of the rest of the country.True unity and equality will only be realized through a fundamental restructuring of this inherently flawed economic-political system.Is this an idealistic pipe dream? It assuredly will be as long as one region of the country is not only arbitrarily determining policy that engenders inequality and exploitation, but is desperately hanging on to an outdated system that makes it possible.HDan Riley lives in Brandon
Newspaper Details
Brandon Sunday
Brandon, Manitoba, CA
Sun, Apr 12, 1992
Page 5
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CA 06 Mar 2025
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