Canada at the Crossroads

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As we descend from spring into summer in Canada, the days may be getting brighter, but the outlook for our society is somber. At 6.8% inflation is the highest it has been in 30 years. The bank prime rate quickly inching towards 3% will have a drastic cooling effect on house sales. High gasoline prices and an active war in Europe are just some of the events that are shaping our lives today. The Canadian political scenario is not doing anything to bring relief to the people who have been caged by the Covid-19 pandemic for more than 2 years. With businesses collapsing and the state intruding more and more on our private lives, one is driven to believe that Canada is going toward a multi-faceted trust crisis. Trust in our public institutions is fading fast, and what used to be the cornerstone of Canadian society, is cracking. Trust in our political system and politicians is at the lowest possible level. In Ontario we are facing a provincial election that seems colorless and odorless, mostly concerned with the elites and less with real people. Unfortunately, we do not foresee significant changes coming after the election. Politics is more interesting at the federal level, with the Conservatives engaged in a new leadership campaign and the governing Liberals in coalition with the NDP enacting legislation aimed at further limiting our freedom. If this continues and some common sense measures are not taken, this will irretrievably alter who we are as a country and how we govern ourselves. We will become more divided and less able to achieve big things that matter. Trust in our public institutions and people in general previously made Canada an enviable example of good governance in the world. We are on the verge of losing that and spiraling into unknown and unchartered waters. If not stopped, this downward spiral will spell disastrous consequences for our children and grandchildren. As we have seen, a polarizing pandemic has quickened the latent disintegration, alienation and loss of professionalism in Canada's politics. The ailments are plain to see: an increasingly coarse and negative political dialogue; a rejection of public policy compromise; and rising misinformation and censure of all kinds in society and across information platforms. Adding to this decline is the corrosion of the once proud public service. Mostly populated with senior officials who serve the politics of the day rather than the people, they contribute massively to the mushrooming trust deficit between Canadians and their governments. These tendencies raise core questions about what it means to govern in Canada today, and in the future. We need to remember that public servants are responsible for translating political direction from elected politicians into public policy and public services. They are charged with providing advice not just on the right public policy but on its effective implementation. To do this well in a system of responsible government with a non-partisan, independent public service, requires "fearless advice and loyal implementation." That is, the ability to speak "truth to power" and abide by the decisions of duly elected leaders. Are they doing that today? We really do not know. The Covid-19 pandemic brought to light some issues we need to reflect on, that indicate we need to move to a new and more up to date way of governance in our country. Once the scale of the pandemic became clear, governments at all levels moved erratically to respond to public need. The politicians delegated their responsibility and decision-making to unelected officials ostensibly invoking science. That resulted in trust levels of Canadians gradually declining in their governments as the pandemic wore on. Good governance is literally embedded in Canada's constitutional record or, more precisely, its BNA, the British North America Act. The phrase "Peace, order and good government" stems from the original 1867 constitutional document, which legally formed Canada. It has been a guiding principle ever since. Good governance means increased confidence in the decisions and actions of governments. That leads to greater legitimacy and acceptance of those decisions by citizens. Higher trust and faith in our public institutions then follows. The question now, is how we keep Canada united in today's tumultuous times. This goal raises new questions about the relationship between governments and the governed; between citizens and state. Maybe it is time to update our governance system with new concepts appropriate to this century. Many questions arise. What do we want from government? Not just bigger or smaller government, but what is the role of government and its institutions in society today? These questions are questions related to governance; the way we do things for our citizens for their benefit and for the benefit of the country. In conclusion, Canada's governments and leaders will need to listen more to Canadians and learn from them in the months and years ahead in order to re-establish our traditional, common sense and uniquely strong democratic traditions and public institutions. Our public servants need to be part of this process because they have a big stake in getting this right. Listening and learning from their front-line experiences with citizens and inside experiences with politicians would be advisable. Come down from your ivory towers. Let us hope that sanity will prevail and as a country we will once again be at the forefront of a good governance fully trusted by the people. Hope is not lost yet, wake up Canada!