In Defence Of Good Governance

Before the election of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to head Canada through a Conservative-led government, the electorate was warned time and again that things would never be the same again. That Mr. Harper's malign conservative agenda would be unveiled and Canada would become another kind of country altogether, mean and miserable.

Nothing of the kind has happened, needless to say.

Instead, under Prime Minister Harper Canada has flourished, even in the face of a global financial meltdown which impacted this country far less than elsewhere. Not of course because of anything the current government did in response - although they are owed a little bit of credit there, too - but because of Canada's, ahem, conservative type of banking system.

Internally the country has benefited from the intelligent, steady hand of this man who has more than adequately proven he has a gift for governing well - despite himself, some might say. He has made some errors, none all that grave, that he hasn't been able to engineer himself out of. Externally, our relations with other countries has never been better.

Our international responsibilities have been carried out in a far superior manner than under previous governments. And under this current Conservative-led government all manner of social problems within the country of long-standing have been graciously addressed. Much more needs addressing. The pity of it is that despite the outstanding performance, this government has no friends.

Perhaps the Prime Minister's standoffish attitude with the national press earned him the immediate censure he received as a result of shutting out Canada's inquisitive press, trying to do their work in the best possible way. That has been ameliorated, but the rancour toward the Prime Minister has not been lifted, and the press goes out of its way to keep the candle of suspicion and blame well lit.

Canada's loyal opposition goes out of their way to smear the government at every opportunity, accusing it of not rising to the occasion of governing well, although it's clear they could do no better, and have no real, practical answers for issues the government struggles with. The quality of their admonishments, in fact, lead to the conclusion they would falter and fail in governance.

The latest imbroglios, the parliamentary enquiry into the handling of Afghan prisoners and the damning accusations of Foreign Affairs' Richard Colvin, aligned with the proroguing of Parliament has been played to the hilt by the Liberals, the NDP, and sectors of the public, whipped to a happy frenzy by the press.

The self-serving spin of the opposition parties in questioning the honourable role of Canada's military in Afghanistan, along with Foreign Affairs bureaucrats purportedly unresponsive to the cranky claims of Mr. Colvin, and the presumed government cover-ups of potentially embarrassing slip-ups would have had little traction without the enthusiastic support of the press.

Which gleefully reports ad nauseum of the government's attempts at suppression of vital information from the public, of attempted cover-ups of wrong-doing, of scape-goating a righteous public servant, of closing down the parliamentary enquiry by 'undemocratically' choosing to do what previous governments have done; deciding to suspend Parliament - in a barely-concealed hate-fest against the government.

Which has responded rather majestically by spurning false accusations and calmly going about its business as a government, responding to external calls for catastrophic assistance, and internal requirements for a government to conduct briefings, produce a budget, and welcome the world to its doorstep through the Olympics-venue-invitation.

And just incidentally indicating it has every intention of reconvening the Commons committee on Afghanistan which has been tasked to consider Canada's ongoing, non-military mission there after the scheduled troop withdrawal, but which has preferred to bog itself down in a clearly partisan manner with the previously addressed non-issue of Afghan detainees.

And although Parliament Hill reporters have accused the government of refusing to ante up legal fees for Mr. Colvin's private lawyer, as symptomatic of an evil vendetta against the man, they have given approval after all. Isn't it past time to stop selling this government short and attributing to it misdeeds never even contemplated?