A rchive Date
[ 19-11-2000 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Canada ]
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[To hell with the real issues
By RACHEL SA -- Toronto Sun
November 18, 2000 Well, it looks like I still have a lot to learn about politics. I actually thought the federal election campaign would be focusing on key issues of great importance to the Canadian people. Silly me!
What good is the substantial stuff when you can launch personal attacks on party leaders? Okay, so we haven't (thank goodness) reached the level of farce that's been attained in the election south of the border - but that's not to say our federal election isn't taking on some rather American touches.
I think it began in earnest last week when Mayor Mel Lastman told the Toronto Sun's editorial board that he's "afraid" of the Canadian Alliance and that leader Stockwell Day "scares" him. It seems to have come to a head this week with Immigration Minister Elinor Caplan charging that the Alliance is supported by racists and bigots.
To be honest, I've heard similar sentiments from more than a few people. The fact is, Stockwell Day's fundamentalist Christian beliefs worry many Canadians. Do I think Day will place Canada under some sort of hard core "Christian martial law" should he form a majority government on Nov. 27? Hardly.
Are the people who do jumping to conclusions? Most likely. But that's what people do.
The difference is, those people are private citizens airing a personal concern, however unsubstantiated. But when someone in the public eye, like a politician, steps forward and speaks out, those unsubstantiated concerns - or accusations - pose the danger of taking on an air of reality. Sure that's a double standard, but that's the way it is.
Why, then, aren't we subjecting the other party leaders to the same scrutiny about their religious beliefs? If you ask me, some Roman Catholic doctrines have the potential to play havoc with Canadian public policies. (I mean, c'mon! They think you can turn water into wine! Are these really the type of people we want running Canada?)
But the Canadian people aren't wringing their hands over that prospect because Jean Chretien and Joe Clark have already shown us they don't plan to let their personal religious beliefs influence the way the country is governed.
Stockwell Day is the new guy and no one can be too sure of what to expect. Another double standard - but this one is easier to shrug off. After all, Day has brought the whole debate about religion on himself by being public about his beliefs in the first place. (He doesn't work on Sundays! If that doesn't earn him some extra scrutiny I don't know what would.)
But just because his religion is fair game, that doesn't mean other parties can stop playing by the rules. I think we can admit it's a rare occasion when voters are completely informed on all of the issues being put forward by each party. We glean bits here, pieces there and then we jump to the appropriate conclusions. It's not only expected, it's hoped for.
Why else do we get those delightful little sound bites from party leaders, if not in the hopes of getting voters to jump to happy conclusions that give them the warm fuzzies? But when politicians start presenting their own conclusions as fact, that's something else entirely.
When Elinor Caplan accuses followers of the Alliance of being racists and bigots, of course some members of the public will jump to the conclusion that the Alliance must support those people. (Who knows what a religious fanatic like Day would support, right? Obviously, that's exactly the reaction the Liberals are hoping for.)
The politicians in this election need to understand that they're held to a different level of responsibility. It's not enough that they "feel" something, or that someone told someone who told them something really bad about that guy from an opposing party. That doesn't cut it.
When you get right down to it, all of this nasty name-calling and finger-pointing is taking the focus off the truly important issues in this election. If it continues, then no matter who wins on Nov. 27, the real losers will be the Canadian people.
Letters to the editor should be sent to editor@sunpub.com
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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