Cabinet Inclusiveness?

Well, that's rather disappointing news. Prime Minister Stephen Harper does know what it is like to be overlooked, to have one's opinion set aside; worse yet, not to be consulted, to be included in the decision-making process. The thing is, isn't it, if you determine which elected Member of Parliament fits into the scheme of your cabinet, and you confer on them the responsibilities of a certain post, then you most certainly have an obligation to confer with them before uttering publicly decisions which impact on that post, on the dignity of the office, on the trust of the individual with whom you have entrusted that office.

It's one thing, although not a very good decision either, to ignore the press. It doesn't entirely reflect well on a public official to ignore the press in a society such as ours. We have a free press, our news-gathering agents have an obligation in our society, to report news, all the news fit to print. And certainly most intelligent news readers are interested in reading first-hand interviews or responses from our Prime Minister. Our Prime Minister Harper has gone out of his way to express his distaste for the enquiring press, and to deny them opportunities which should be granted them for access to news gathering. That's his decision, but it isn't a good one.

Mr. Harper is behaving in general in a forthright, honourable and decisive manner and that is all to the good. He is surprising a good many people with the manner in which he is handling a very sensitive, critically important position in this country. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, despite that his relations with Canada's news media is extremely testy, is getting good press, and he's earning it. But he has yet much to learn about governing and today's report that one of his cabinet ministers has resigned is not good news.

Not good news in that while Mr. Harper cleverly co-opted a Bloc motion to reflect a more suitable view of Quebecers of French descent, placing them squarely where they belong: a distinctive founding ethnic group with a shared tradition, language, history and culture, within an integral and inviolable part of Canada - his decision to make that announcement reflecting his high office should have been reviewed beforehand with his cabinet, and better yet, with his Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Michael Chong.

Yes, it’s undeniably to Mr. Harper’s credit that he consulted with Stephane Dion in recognition of that good man’s experience and special insight into the problems inherent in this recognition of Quebecois’ very particular history/culture/tradition/language singling them out as an ethnic-nation, within an indissoluble country, Canada. Our current Prime Minister has demonstrated his political adeptness in consulting with the leaders of Canada’s other political parties, when required. He simply needs to acquire a little more sensitivity toward others - but not, one hopes, at the expense of his incisive decision-making.

Mr. Chong delivered himself of a heartfelt and poignant point of view as a staunch Canadian federalist. The dignity of his office was belittled by the fact that he had not been informed by the prime minister of his decision beforehand, nor had he been invited to voice his point of view or possible exceptions to the prime minister's stance. This was an error in judgement on the part of Prime Minister Harper, one that should give him pause for thought and cause him to be a trifle more alert and responsive in future.

While it is quite true that many issues are more important than the view of just one person, the context of the issue under discussion and the position of the individual makes this the crux of the matter.