As the years go by, I find myself asking what has changed the most, me, or the political environment we now live in, both domestically and internationally. I am pretty sure I know who I am, a Progressive Conservative who believes in limited government control over our lives and real help for those who need it. I know for certain that I am against extremism, especially political extremism on both the left and the right. But I don’t really know where I fit anymore on the current political spectrum.
I remember with some nostalgia governments in Canada of different political stripes, at both the federal and provincial levels, who knew how to govern from the middle. They didn’t abandon their ideology but recognized that extremism doesn’t work and, from a historical perspective, has often resulted in tragedy. Not so much anymore. We seem to live these days in a ‘my way or the highway’ atmosphere when it comes to politics.
And so, in recent times, I have been asking myself what I still fundamentally believe in and what I don’t, and more importantly, where I fit because of that. Let me give you a few examples of that.
In the past few days, there was another horrific mass murder in the United States. Eight people dead, their lives snuffed out, and another seven in hospital, some with life-threatening injuries. This is now a common occurrence.
David Axelrod, a well-known American political strategist, and commentator, reacted to this latest massacre with this: “We have completely jumped the shark as a nation. The world looks at us in absolute bewilderment as we slaughter each other with guns and throw our hands up in resignation. It’s pathetic.”
I agree with Axelrod. I cannot think of a single reason why assault weapons should be in the hands of anyone other than the military and law enforcement, either in the United States or in Canada and I am absolutely certain that Canada is not immune to what is happening in the United States.
I also believe that the time has come that all Canadians should be entitled to a guaranteed basic income that would provide a roof over their heads. It is not only economically sound as it eliminates welfare and other social benefits, but it is also the right thing to do. Every human being should be entitled to that dignity which is why I believe we have a collective responsibility to look after those people who, for whatever reason, cannot look after themselves.
Does all of that make me a lefty? I can picture some of my friends smiling and shaking their heads and saying “Yup”!
But wait…. I believe we have a leftist government in Canada and have had one for almost a decade. Not like the governments of Pearson, Chretien, and Martin. Much of what this current government has stood for, I simply cannot agree with.
For one thing, the Trudeau Government has doubled down on censorship. To me, there is nothing more fundamental to democracy than a free press and the right of all individuals to freedom of speech. There are limits, of course, related to libel, slander, and hate speech but the recourse for these is through the courts and not through government interference.
Very recently, the CRTC, a government-appointed agency, has been asked to consider banning Fox News from Canadian viewers. I do not watch the Fox News Network. They are too extreme for me. But that is my choice to make, not the role of a government or a government-controlled agency. If Fox News or any other network breaks Canadian law sue them, let the courts figure it out but don’t deny Canadians the right to watch what they want.
This past weekend, the Liberal Party of Canada held its General Policy Meeting. Their keynote speaker was former American Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton. That choice and her fawning praise of the Grits gives me no comfort that the Liberals here are still a middle-of-the-road party.
What particularly caught my eye was this motion regarding censorship and media control:
BE IT RESOLVED: that the Liberal Party of Canada:
- Request the Government of Canada to provide additional public funds to support advertisement-free news and information reporting by Canadian Media through an arms-length, non-partisan mechanism.
- Request the Government to explore options to hold online information services accountable for the veracity of articles published on their platforms and to limit publication only to material whose sources can be traced.
My comments on this: Governments should not subsidize the media. One does not bite the hand that feeds them. It is a conflict of interest. There is no such thing as an arms-length, non-partisan mechanism if its members are appointed by the government in power. One just needs to look at the so-called non-partisan appointed Senate to realize that. Holding online information services accountable for the veracity of their articles, except where required by libel laws, etc., is censorship, pure and simple. It raises the question of who traces these stories and what criteria are used to determine their veracity. Government policy?
Journalist John Ivison posed the question related to stories that must be traced, “So, journalists can only publish information from sources that can be traced by the government?” Good question.
But more important than my comments are those of Michael Geist, a Canadian academic who is a Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa. Referring to the Liberal’s attempts at censorship, he says this:
“There are real issues with disinformation, online hate, privacy, competition and a host of on-line concerns that require various forms of regulation. But governments current approach suggests that it believes the ends justify even potentially unconstitutional means. It sounds extreme, but the slippery slope that starts with media intervention expands with investigations into critics, truth oversight bodies and restrictions on press freedoms. Yet we must be honest with ourselves and see that this is where we are today with current and future policies that risk turning Canada into a dangerous model that more repressive regimes may cite with approval to justify their own anti-democratic measures.”
I believe this guy is bang-on. I am opposed to censorship. I strongly disagree with any suggestion that government should be in a position to decide what journalists are allowed to print. I don’t support any kind of legislation or government policy that controls what we see, hear, or say. I support reasonable laws to prevent misuse of these rights, to be adjudicated by the courts and not controlled or manipulated by governments or their agencies. I don’t want government controlling my life any more than is absolutely necessary for the common good.
So… does that make me a right-wing whacko? Again, I can see some of my more left-of-center friends shaking their heads and saying, “Yup”!
Where does that leave me? It leaves me in the middle, where I can agree with reasonable ideas from all parts of the political spectrum and also where I can disagree when I believe it necessary. Where I don’t have to be a total idealogue, believing everything a party I might support says, and where people listen to what other people have to say, whether or not they agree, without demonizing them.
It’s a bit of a lonely place because people with entrenched ideas on both the far left and far right don’t want to come to that middle ground. I have learned the hard way that sometimes that affects friendships, and sometimes it affects business.
We all have our darker moments and I must say there are times when I wonder if it is all worth it.
Hugh Mackenzie
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler.
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