Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre speaks at the Canadian Club of Toronto on Thursday.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
Swept up
Re “The odd floor-crossing is one thing, but on this scale it undermines our system of government” (April 15): To suggest that floor-crossing is getting “ridiculous” seems in itself ridiculous.
Only five MPs have jumped ship to join the Liberals, representing barely 3 per cent of the opposition. Given the hostile threat Canada now faces from south of the border and Mark Carney’s appeal for a united front, plus his move to centre-right, surely what is more surprising is that the number remains so low.
It needs to be remembered that, regrettably, following the U.S. example, it is only since 1970 that a candidate’s registered party affiliation can be indicated on our ballots. Nevertheless, following longstanding parliamentary principle, MPs remain at liberty to throw their support wherever they best see fit.
Sir John A. MacDonald even used to refer to them as unpredictable “loose fish.”
Alan Scrivener Cornwall, Ont.
A strong investigative media is essential, particularly now that the Liberals hold a majority. The previous minority parliament is gone, and with it the checks and balances that keep a governing party accountable.
Why did a functioning minority government not emerge? There is the possibility that Mark Carney preferred not to operate within a minority framework. His corporate background may shape how he approaches political leadership, yet democratic governance is not meant to mirror corporate structures.
Who will benefit most from a Liberal majority? One hopes it will not be major investment firms, accounting firms, law firms or consulting firms.
Perhaps Mr. Carney will strengthen oversight to ensure public funds are used as intended and to improve Canada’s competitiveness globally. With a majority mandate, he must now deliver.
Canadians’ expectations are extremely high, but we may need to be more measured about what can be achieved in three years.
Hugh Urquhart Mississauga
In W.G. Hardy’s From Sea unto Sea: The Road to Nationhood, 1850 to 1910, the professor references documented cases of Conservative MPs crossing the floor due to looser party discipline and scandals around party funding.
This volume is part of the Canadian History Series edited by Thomas Costain. Although hard to locate, it is an excellent look into Parliament and the history of our great country.
It reveals that there is nothing new under the sun occurring today, just different players in a different phase of our history.
Martin Wilkins Calgary
Re “Conservatives contracting” (Letters, April 16): A letter-writer produced powerful prose on the pitfalls of Pierre Poilievre.
On behalf of those who share the Opposition Leader’s alliterative initials, may I just posit: powerful punditry.
Paul Park Ottawa
Can Mark Carney contrive to continue convincing his colleagues, confrères, consoeurs and converts that camaraderie, coupled with compassion, can never be compromised, and no crisis conveniently accommodated in the coming cycle?
His cabinet will comprise those whose commitment to collaboration will be crucial. The centre of his core will be to champion the Constitution and counter any incursion from Canada’s accursed continental co-tenant.
Alison Kyba Guelph, Ont.
Union question
Re “Transatlanticism” (Letters, April 15): A letter-writer suggests that joining the European Union would allow free movement of labour and possibly improved food standards in Canada.
That’s true, but would this be argued as more important than the loss of decision-making power to Brussels, requirements to follow European Court of Human Rights rulings, increased taxes and a host of other regulatory requirements?
It’s easy to say let’s join the EU but, as always, decisions have consequences. In this case, the fine print would be important to Canadians and their ability to determine their own future.
David Harper Burlington, Ont.
Nearly 3 in 5 Canadians support the idea of Canada joining the European Union. Did the survey also ask respondents to point at Europe on a map?
Thomas Johnson Montreal
On MAID
Re “New MAID oversight committee will be diverse and transparent, Ontario Solicitor-General contends” (April 16): I was pleased to see that the Ontario Solicitor-General supports the Chief Coroner in his reconstituting of the oversight committee for medical assistance in dying.
Committee members need not be MAID assessors or providers, but they should be people who can be objective about what is a legal medical procedure. Some past members have been publicly against MAID for those whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable, even though 2021 changes to the Criminal Code allow MAID in these circumstances, provided the stringent eligibility requirements and rigourous safeguards are met.
Sherry Moran Ottawa
Ontario’s shrinking of this oversight committee to one of “guidance,” composed only of those who fully support the existing system, is clearly a manoeuvre to shut down critiques of medical assistance in dying.
The committee can now avoid dealing with the many objections raised by Canadians about MAID procedures, including ongoing objections to it being allowed in future for people presenting solely with mental illness. There is hope for many people and society can and does provide it.
There can be no meaningful oversight or guidance if everyone on a committee already supports MAID: The predictable outcome will likely be a waste of time and money. Worse, this is a classic example of preventing those with other views from having a voice.
I find such deliberate shaping of the committee not only undemocratic and illiberal, but also helps to destroy any vision of Ontario as an open and pluralistic society.
Moira McQueen PhD; Burlington, Ont.
Sensationalists present medical assistance in dying as a ”terrifying" program that offers same-day suicide and kills people against their will. Some of these stories draw from the Ontario Chief Coroner’s committee reports, so I can understand why the office wants to turn down the noise by limiting the committee.
By making difficult cases public and including critics, the committee reports actually increase my confidence in MAID. They show that vigilance is being maintained around what are always going to be challenging decisions. They are not whistleblower events, they are how a difficult program keeps itself on track.
I hope the Chief Coroner changes his mind and keeps an open, critical lens on MAID so that it remains a program we can all trust if and when we have need of it.
Tom Slee Waterloo, Ont.
Silly season
Re “Please respect the Maple Leafs’ inability to pick a GM themselves” (Sports, April 11): The humourless comedy that is the Maple Leafs finally ends for another year.
Now comes the summer of bureaucratic spin doctoring, likely ending with an aging Auston Matthews traded for a bunch of aged “character” players and a bucket of pucks.
The Leafs will probably bring in some analytics hack to be general manager, fire the coach and replace him with artificial intelligence. You heard it here first.
Craig Proulx Fredericton
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