UBC: Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions / November 24-25, 2011

oliticians don't often publicly est may face stern rebukes rather Citizens often label and candidly share personal than rewards from both their party politicians as liars or Popinions on their lives in and the media. office, perhaps with good reason. cheats, believing that Unforgiving media scrutiny and Concerned about a perceived lack of they willingly trade intense internal party pressure can transparency and accountability on convince members not to speak out the part of the politicians they've their values for votes. when their views clash with the need elected to represent them, members But those who hold office in munici- for caucus solidarity. Politicians of the voting public are often cynical, pal, provincial, and federal govern- who freely offer highly personal and sometimes downright hostile to- ment can have a profound influence opinions on matters of public inter- wards those who hold public office. on the lives of . Asked why The conference brought together a The results were often surprising. diverse, multi-partisan roster of cur- Many interviewees said they were rent and former municipal, pro- unprepared for their new jobs as vincial, and federal politicians, politicians, and received little train- along with members of the media. ing or mentoring, having instead to Panelists offered thoughtful person- learn on their own, on the job. They al insights about the functions-and also complained about the opaque dysfunctions-of political life in and manipulative nature of the nom- they entered political life, most Canada. Discussion touched on ination process by which they were politicians respond that they sincere- incentives and disincentives for run- selected by their parties. ly want to make a difference in their ning, reflections on life in office, community. candid evaluations of relationships For some, the top- with the media, and an exploration When we consider the important of how the culture of political life down and heavy-hand- role of politicians alongside conflict- might be improved. ed discipline imposed by party leaders, and the exaggerated partisanship displayed in parliamentary debates, especially under the spotlight of the media, con- tributed to a dysfunc- tional parliament.

They also varied widely in how they UBC graduate student David Moscrop introduces the conference's social media described their roles, rarely focusing desk, explaining how the Q&A session will work throughout the conference. on the central job of making laws. ing public sentiment surrounding The CSDI conference was inspired These themes were echoed during their performance, two questions in part by interviews with former the CSDI conference. arise: “Why don't more good people members of parliament conducted enter politics? And what might be by the Samara Foundation, an inde- The opening event was a public con- done about it?” pendent organization dedicated to versation between CBC journalist the study of citizen engagement Ian Hanomansing and The Right The University of 's with Canadian democracy. The Honourable , who Centre for the Study of Democratic interviews, conducted with 65 for- served as Canada's Prime Minister Institutions (CSDI) convened a con- mer MPs who left public life after between 2003 and 2006. ference to explore these questions. serving in Parliaments that sat “Why Don't More Good People between 2004 and 2008, offered a Martin challenged the premise that Enter Politics? And what might be behind-the-scenes look at how peo- good people don't enter political done about it?” took place in Vanco- ple entered political life, why they life: “I think we make a mistake in uver on November 24 and 25, 2011, stayed, and what it took to survive- judging some people as whether one week after British Columbia's and even thrive-during their time in they're good or bad depending on municipal elections. office. where they stand on issues.”

2 Rather, he said politicians make a sin- beyond the boxing ring of question cere effort to make decisions that will period was echoed by a number of best serve the public interest. Citizens' conference panelists the next day. agreement or disagreement with those decisions ultimately lead to categoriz- “Why is it so partisan, so adversarial, ing politicians as “good” or “bad.” with so much bashing, so many dumbed-down talking points?” “Fundamentally, asked veteran political strategist and public affairs commentator Rick most governments Anderson. “now we expect parliament to do the try to make the “I think it happens government's bidding.” right decisions,” because we lack an Stressing the separation of powers, Martin said. understanding, in Anderson argued that the role of parliament is not to pass the govern- “They are aware of the political ram- Canada, of what the ment's legislation or their budgets. ifications around each issue, but role of parliament Rather, “it's to decide what they most of all, they try to make the right actually is.” should be.” decisions.” Anderson noted that a lack of public Rick Anderson emphasized Paul understanding of parliament's role Martin's point that media focus on RENEW FOCUS contributes to and rewards an adver- political controversy blurs public ON PARLIAMENT'S sarial, politically charged environ- knowledge of the work of govern- ROLE ment in the House of Commons. ment.

ost media coverage of gov- ernment activity deals more Mwith an issue's political ra- mifications than with the policy at work, Martin said. “I think there could be fairer reporting on the policy issues, as opposed to who wins.”

He was careful to distinguish the fra- ctious ruckus of question period-cov- ered extensively by media-from the actual work of government, which receives less media coverage and by extension, less public discussion. Rt. Hon. Paul Martin addresses the crowd. “The problem is that question period “Historically, parliament was sup- is not government at work,” Martin posed to be a serious check on the said. “Government work is much dif- power of the executive, of the cabi- “The flame-throwers, ferent. If people saw that happening, net, and of the Crown,” Anderson the name-callers, the they would have a much better per- said. These bodies couldn't make people with something spective.” This call to focus the pub- laws autonomously, as they knew lic eye on the work of government parliament could reject them. But controversial to say

3 Forming governments that reflect the most seats in the House of the diversity of the citizens they are Commons, provincial legislatures, elected to represent persists as an and city halls. Panelists acknowl- ongoing concern across all levels of edged that little progress has been government. Only citizen involve- made to improve gender equality in ment will change this, said The politics. Dawn Black, New Democra- Honourable Anne McLellan, former tic Party Member of the BC Legisla- Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal tive Assembly for , The people slugging it out there MP for East. She pointed shared her perspective, noting that doing the hard work get almost no out that citizen disengagement and she's spent many years encouraging attention,” Anderson said. “We have cynicism stem from ongoing failures- women to run in politics. to figure out how to right this bal- on the part of both citizens and polit- ance. We have to figure out how to ical parties-to nominate and elect Perceptions of public have an intelligent discussion.” people who accurately represent the life-that it erodes rep- lived realities of Canadian life. utations, that it ruth- But intelligent discussion of govern- ment requires moving beyond “I believe that we, as citizens, get the lessly puts families of today's highly polarized debate government and the politics we dese- candidates under the between political parties. “Modern rve,” she said. “As citizens, what is it microscope, that life parties have become basically cam- we expect of our political parties? paign vehicles in their instincts,” said And if we're not delivering it, what in office is character- Anderson, noting that issues tend to can we do, as citizens, to change? ized by highly adver- be divided into “swords and shields.” Our politics, therefore our political sarial, combative work When parties can only either attack parties, must represent, in a mean- one another or defend themselves, a ingful way, the country they claim to environments-tend to polarizing, oppositional environ- be part of. We need more female, prevent women, more ment is created, in which major poli- ethnic, and urban representation.” than men, from seek- cies get trapped in a gridlock that fails to reflect the realities of a Many panelists expressed concern ing political party diverse, pluralistic contemporary about persistent gender inequality in nomination and Canadian society. government: men continue to hold running for office, Black said.

“Currently, the percentage of women in the BC legislature is verging on 30 percent. In Ottawa, it's 23 or 24 per- cent,” she pointed out. “We're not making progress the way that we sho- uld make progress.” Meanwhile, Nordic countries, new democracies, and governments that have adopted the proportional representation vot- ing system tend to have more equal gender representation in government.

Canada currently uses the first-past- the-post model, in which the candi- Carole Taylor, Vaughn Palmer, Ian Hanomansing, , and Sam Sullivan during the panel, "Why Don't (More) Good People Enter Politics?" date, and the party that wins the 4 most votes is elected. Proponents of them. Their concern was for their electoral reform argue that propor- children,” McLellan said. “What I tional representation promotes found interesting was they seemed to more equal representation of voter have very little concern for partners opinion, since the number of votes a or spouses, but in terms of children, party or candidate receives is reflect- ‘I don't want my children to have to ed in a proportionate number of see what the press have to say about seats in government. and Christy Clark's cleavage.’” the woman said, ‘You actually look As long as Canada's first-past-the- kind of fat on TV.’ I said, ‘Do you post system remains, though, the The risk of damage to one's personal say that to the men who are fat?’” problem of unequal female repre- reputation affects women differently sentation in politics will persist. The than men, said Jennifer Clarke. The Goldsmith-Jones acknowledged that option of quotas was debated in one former journalist and three-term the media has begun to show leader- panel. Gordon Gibson noted that city councillor most ship in the language they use to the BC Citizen's Assembly on elec- recently ran unsuccessfully to repre- describe male and female politicians. toral reform selected one man and sent Vancouver Centre for the Con- Ultimately, more inclusiveness- one woman from each riding. servatives in the 2011 federal elec- regardless of gender-is needed in political life. “It's not just about gen- der,” she said. “It's about inclusion.” Anderson agreed that the nasty, ruthless name-calling that has become the norm in politics must be rectified to improve gender equality among elected officials. He called for improving the workspace, “mak- ing it more meaningful, but also less mean,” and he deplored the “name calling, the rude remarks going on in the House of Commons.” Alluding to the nasty things that have been said about leaders like and Stephen Harper, UBC Political Science Professor Philip Resnick at the Q&A session. Anderson concluded there “are a lot of people-more often women than McLellan recalled travelling across tion. “During my political career, the men-but some men, who are not Canada in 2006 as part of the Liberal media variously called me too pretty, interested in going into that arena.” party's renewal efforts. She had too smart, too well-educated, too recently lost what would be her final strong, and I think my labels were For Winnie Hwo, the challenge for election, and she spent the tour speak- ‘Head Girl’ and ‘Lady Macbeth,’” women entering politics is two- ing with women about political Clarke said. “I was also called a hussy fold: “When the children are too involvement. She identified work-life in a red dress at one point.” She young, they simply do not have balance, the culture of politics, and added that the media seldom uses time for politics. But when the chil- media scrutiny as the primary disin- this kind of language to describe men. dren are older, it becomes an centives for women to run for office. image problem for their children. West Vancouver mayor Pamela And mothers are usually the last “Women told me over and over Goldsmith-Jones agreed: “I was people on earth to want to embar- again, it wasn't primarily about picking up my dry cleaning once and rass their teenage kids.”

5 However, while cies to vote together on matters of “there's nothing wrong confidence or finance, she said. “But it's important that if there's some with partisanship... issue that's important to you, express It's a problem when it it. If you can't express it in caucus, why becomes thuggery. are you there? What is the point?” It's when it becomes Taylor said she would rather see sin- a grotesque sideshow, cere, individual debate about issues POLITICS AS A as question period than the current system, in which “BOXING RING” politicians must continually toe the has become.” party line on issues close to their hile panelists pointed to hearts. “That's what really bothered But Carole Taylor, a former BC the combative culture of me about the party system.” Liberal Minister of Finance, argued politics as a major barrier W that the current head-to-head, party- Dawn Black suggested that while to more diverse political involve- against-party model fails to foster more free votes in the House would ment, some politicians maintained individualism and diversity among not be a bad thing, we need to be that the adversarial environment is “ elected officials. “I don't think it careful when suggesting less parti- simply part of the job. should be a bash-bash kind of thing,” sanship and freedom to deviate from she said. “It should be about the argu- the ‘party line’ that we don't encour- “I remember my poor mother being so ments of ideas and different age a system without accountability upset when people would bash me,” approaches to things.” to an electoral platform. said former Vancouver mayor Sam ” Sullivan, who insists that adversarial Taylor said that if she were starting In a post-conference op-ed, UBC politics are central to democracy. “I her political career over, she would political science PhD student David always had to phone her and explain: only run for office on the condition Moscrop took up Taylor's line of ‘You're a boxer. When you get in the ring, and when someone smacks you in the face, you shouldn't be surprised; you're a boxer. That's your job.’”

Arguing that no one has found a bet- ter alternative to adversarial politics, Sullivan noted “when everyone loves each other and moves ahead togeth- er, it's called a dictatorship. And it's terrifying.”

Former British Columbia Premier that she would be free, on “very thinking. In a piece that explored the Mike Harcourt agreed: “Democracy important issues,” not to vote the use of language in politics, Moscrop is war without bullets,” he said. party line. Parties rightly make poli- argues that words do more than rep-

6 resent reality; words also shape the “Our teeth (as media) political landscape and the behav- iour of those engaged in politics, are not as sharp as rendering some approaches possible they were 20 years and others less possible. “If words ago,” Mihlar said, can be acts, then the way we speak but “governments and politicians' will eventually play a role in deter- teeth have become longer and sharp- mining who we are through taking er.” Currently, he said, the public rela- part in the establishment of our tions and communications branches of habits. If the words that politicians governments may rival, if not exceed, The local media “beat the crap out use make them into bullies, silencing the capacity of many news outlets. of me and it wasn't fun,” Goldsmith- and discouraging their peers, then Jones said. But this close early we will have bully politics. If our Journalists should not act as politi- scrutiny spurred her to strive for a politicians use words as bullets, then cians' note-takers. “We are watch- more open, transparent mayoral only soldiers will battle for democra- dogs,” Mihlar said. This watchdog term. “As soon as I decided ‘the cy, since our political terrain will be role can leave some politicians feel- media is here to stay and let's work inhospitable towards those who wish ing that they have little choice but to together,’ it completely changed my to do things differently,” he claims. maintain an adversarial relationship frame of mind,” she said. STRONG DEMOCRACIES, STRONG MEDIA

eflecting the media's key role as a public educator on polit- Rical issues, the conference included several local and national journalists. But as economic and tech- nological shifts challenge news out- lets, democratic processes can also suffer, panelists said.

Fazil Mihlar, editorial pages editor at the Vancouver Sun, described a com- mon public perception: “There's a presumption out there that the Fazil Mihlar, Anne McLellan, Kathryn Gretsinger, Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, and media, they are people who wait from Winnie Hwo during the panel on "Media and Partisanship". the bleachers, wait 'til the contest is with reporters. Others, though, see over, and we are happy to come down THE IDEAL the politician-media relationship as and kick you in the chin or the groin. more symbiotic. CANDIDATE I think that view is mistaken.” eflecting on the qualities of A strong media holds politicians Pamela Goldsmith-Jones recalled a the ideal strong political can- accountable, but recent challenges trial by media fire during her first Rdidate, conference panelists like media workplace changes, decli- days in office. She was elected just agreed that motivation is critical: ning resources, and new technologies two days before a scandal involving those who enter public life for the have placed new strains on Canadian her local police department-which sake of power, publicity, and head- media-and Canadian democracy. she now led-became public. lines are in it for the wrong reasons.

7 effect positive change. But those me, a good person, on whatever team hopes are quickly deflated amidst they may choose to participate, is a the chaotic, often unforgiving reali- person who handles complexity well.” ties of political life, and the exigen- She pointed out that a good political cies of acting as a “good foot soldier” candidate should have a highly tuned for their party. cultural awareness, and should understand the nuances of the world. “You watch (new legislators) for the “I've often said if you really, really, first six months and you see the air “It's someone who really want to become a politician, go out of the balloon,” Gibson said. understands most issues you should be barred from ever “What do you do about this? in our communities, our becoming one,” said Sullivan. Empower the ordinary member of “Those are the most dangerous peo- parliament. That's what will make nation, our world, are ple. They do things they probably this job more attractive.” not straight-line, and shouldn't because they want to con- feels comfortable work- tinue being a politician.” Describing who should be in politics, Carole Taylor emphasized the need ing in a milieu with He cited poor candidate recruitment for diversity. “You don't want some- highly complex issues. efforts as part of the “good people in one who wants the glory or the name People with these quali- politics” problem, noting that “the recognition,” she said. “You want way we choose leaders in political someone with good ideas.” ties-as well as people life is quite amazing.” Unlike the who lack them-can be Conference panelists agreed that business world, where recruiting the found in every political best possible candidate can be an plenty of good people are already in exhaustive process, political parties politics. They emphasized that par- party in Canada. don't typically put as much effort into recruiting as they do into getting people elected. One of the barriers for many candidates who parties may wish to recruit is the nomination process. Both the Samara report interviewees and conference partici- pants-across party lines-noted that this is a disincentive to seeking office. According to Jennifer Clarke, the nomination process is often “an unregulated brawl, with party rules honoured in the breach.” ties must recruit and maintain candi- “Our political parties will probably Those who do get recruited, nomi- dates who intelligently represent the only meaningfully change when the nated, and elected, can fly in with electorate, and the electorate must public gets involved and says high hopes, which quickly deflate, support them with votes. ‘enough is enough,’” McLellan said, said Gordon Gibson. The former BC noting that democracy becomes truly Liberal leader said new politicians “For me, it has nothing to do with ide- vibrant when politicians represent come into office sincerely hoping to ology,” Anne McLellan said. “For the lived realities of citizens' lives. 8 “We really need to work a lot hard- In the spirit of Cameron's call for er, both as citizens and political par- authentic politics, and echoing Mc- ties, to ensure we are nominating Lellan's claim that citizens elect the people who look like our communi- governments they merit, Moscrop ties and our workplaces.” published an op-ed in The Ottawa Citizen arguing that citizens get the Drawing on this and other, similar, leaders they deserve. While intense themes, CSDI director Max Came- media scrutiny and strict party disci- ron wrote a piece arguing that good pline pressures politicians to per- politics requires leaders who are form error-free politics, it remains authentic and critical. The political the citizenry that acts as ultimate arena often offers conditions that democratic judge and jury, awarding militate against transparency and the or punishing politicians accordingly honest representation of a politi- to relatively fluid and often capri- cian's views. Accordingly, argues cious standards. Moscrop argues Cameron, potential good politicians that good politics requires risky and are dissuading from entering poli- courageous decisions, which are pre- tics, preferring to remain outside of cluded by the goal of error-free gov- a world that requires them to pre- erning. “As citizens we often expect tend that they are flawless while error-free leadership, and we have speaking in half-truths and obfusca- seemingly omnipresent and omnis- tions. According to Cameron “(One cient news coverage to patrol the bor- way) politics selects phonies (or ders of good behaviour... But if we turns otherwise good people into expect politicians to be perfect, then ship, since shaping a new reality requires reforming or destroying an old one. This creativity requires an environment in which citizens are will- ing to accept failures, since it is often upon these failures that future suc- cesses are built,” notes Moscrop.

Municipal politics may point to potential solutions to these prob- lems. In April 2012, CSDI Director Cameron organized a follow-up event at the Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments in Trail, BC. The Dialogue with munic- ipal leaders suggested that local pol- itics continues to be a great arena of democratic experimentation. Some Rick Anderson, Dawn Black, Doug McArthur, Jennifer Clarke, and Gordon Gibson during the panel, "Entering Political Life: Incentives and Disincentives". of the obstacles to getting good peo- ple into politics are not as great at phonies) is by creating disincentives they are going to shy away from risky the local level as they are at the to admit mistakes or to change one's decisions for fear of front-page failure provincial and federal levels. We views. In an adversarial game there and pervasive social media mockery. might look at how some of what is so is no incentive to admit your oppo- And yet creative and risky decisions positive about the experience of nent may be right.” are part of what makes great leader- municipal government might be

9 The culture of politics Canada's constitutional conventions have evolved in ways that strengthen needs to be cleaned up. leaders at the expense of MPs. For Independence should instance, the confidence convention, be rewarded and cele- which requires executives to retain brated, not punished; the confidence of Parliament, should be used to reinforce parliamentary leaders should expect power over the executive; it should replicated at other levels.” Thus less deference from not be a bludgeon used by the exec- small municipal governments may their caucus members. utive to subordinate the parliament serve as laboratories for political to its will, as it has for decades. experimentation and innovation, With the caveat that much in the same ways provinces are disciplined parties are Finally, the nomination process often thought to serve as sites of essential in a parlia- needs to be better regulated and exploration for federal policy. should be less controlled by the party mentary democracy, leadership so that individual MPs there is scope within may be freer to act as powerful and THE ROAD MAP the political process for responsive representatives of their more free votes, constituencies. he wrap up session with Rick Anderson and Anne McLe- stronger committees, UBC: Centre for the Study of Tllan provided elements for and less centralized Democratic Institutions; imagining a compelling agenda for decision-making. November 24-25, 2011 democratic reform in Canada. The purpose and role of parliament and parliamentarians in our constitution- al system needs to be re-examined, with an eye to strengthening our understanding of its essential func- tion in the separation of powers as a check on the executive.

Rick Anderson, Anne McLellan, and Mark Warren during the closing panel.

10 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the McLean Foundation, CN, the CBC, the Vancouver Sun, and the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies Distinguished Scholar in Residence Program. None of these institutions are responsible for the content of this report. A first draft of this report was prepared by Conference Publishers; it was subsequently edited by David Moscrop and Max Cameron and designed and graphically formated by Natasa Moravic-Balkanski. Photography by Lynn Hancock.