The August 2015 Issue of Inside Policy
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AUGUST 2015 A politician of the Old School Irwin Cotler leaves Parliament with a legacy of pursuing justice The Election Issue INSIDE: Democratic reform: Reviving Five ideas for A new government Solution or more medicare as an transforming needs to tackle problems? election issue Aboriginal affairs Canada Post PublishedPublished by by the the Macdonald-Laurier Macdonald-Laurier Institute Institute PublishedBrianBrian Lee Lee Crowley, byCrowley, the Managing Macdonald-LaurierManaging Director,Director, [email protected] [email protected] Institute David Watson,JamesJames Anderson,Managing Anderson, Editor ManagingManaging and Editor, Editor,Communications Inside Inside Policy Policy Director Brian Lee Crowley, Managing Director, [email protected] James Anderson,ContributingContributing Managing writers:writers: Editor, Inside Policy Past contributors ThomasThomas S. AxworthyS. Axworthy ContributingAndrewAndrew Griffith writers: BenjaminBenjamin Perrin Perrin Thomas S. AxworthyDonald Barry Laura Dawson Stanley H. HarttCarin Holroyd Mike Priaro Peggy Nash DonaldThomas Barry S. Axworthy StanleyAndrew H. GriffithHartt BenjaminMike PriaroPerrin Mary-Jane Bennett Elaine Depow Dean Karalekas Linda Nazareth KenDonald Coates Barry PaulStanley Kennedy H. Hartt ColinMike Robertson Priaro Carolyn BennettKen Coates Jeremy Depow Paul KennedyPaul Kennedy Colin RobertsonGeoff Norquay Massimo Bergamini Peter DeVries Tasha Kheiriddin Benjamin Perrin Brian KenLee Crowley Coates AudreyPaul LaporteKennedy RogerColin Robinson Robertson Ken BoessenkoolBrian Lee Crowley Brian Dijkema Audrey LaporteJeremy Kinsman Roger RobinsonJeffrey Phillips Scott Brison BrianCarlo Lee Dade CrowleyDon Drummond AudreyIan Lee LaporteSteven Langdon RobinRoger V. Robinson SearsMike Priaro Carlo Dade Ian Lee Robin V. Sears Derek Burney John Duffy Audrey Laporte Richard Remillard LauraCarlo Dawson Dade Janice MacKinnonIan Lee MunirRobin Sheikh V. Sears Catherine CanoLaura Dawson Patrice Dutil Janice MacKinnonBrad Lavigne Munir SheikhRobin V. Sears Michael Chong GuyLaura Giorno DawsonMartha Hall FindlayLindaJanice Nazareth MacKinnonIan Lee AlexMunir Wilner SheikhMunir Sheikh Dan CiuriakGuy Giorno Tom Flanagan Linda NazarethMeredith MacDonald Alex WilnerJohn Thompson StephenGuy Greene Giorno GeoffLinda NorquayNazareth Alex Wilner Scott Clark Chrystia Freeland Janice MacKinnon Gil Troy Stephen Greene Geoff Norquay Ken Coates Stephen GreeneDaniel Gagnier Geoff NorquayVelma McColl Michael Watts Past contributors: Mary-Jane Bennett, Carolyn Bennett, Massimo Bergamini, Ken Boessenkool, Brian Bohunicky, Scott Brison, Celine Cooper Guy Giorno Ted Menzies Alex Wilner Derek Burney, Catherine Cano, Dan Ciuriak, Scott Clark, Philip Cross, Celine Cooper, Peter DeVries, Don Drummond, John Duffy, Past contributors:PastPhilip contributors: Cross Mary-Jane Mary-Jane Bennett, Bennett,Stephen Carolyn Carolyn Greene Bennett, Bennett, Massimo Massimo Bergamini,Robert Bergamini, P. Murphy Ken Ken Boessenkool, Brian Brian Bohunicky, Bohunicky, Scott Scott Brison, Brison, Patrice Dutil, Joseph Fantino, Daniel Gagnier, Brad Lavigne, Tasha Kheiriddin, Jeremy Kinsman, Steven Langdon, Velma McColl, Derek Burney,Derek Burney,Catherine Catherine Cano, Cano,Dan Ciuriak, Dan Ciuriak, Scott Scott Clark, Clark, Philip Philip Cross, Cross, Celine Celine Cooper, Cooper, Peter DeVries,DeVries, Don Don Drummond, Drummond, John John Duffy, Duffy, Ted Menzies,Cover Robert photo: P. Murphy, Courtesy Peggy Irwin Nash, Cotler’s Gil Troy, office Michael Watts. Patrice Dutil,Patrice Joseph Dutil, Fantino,Joseph Fantino, Daniel Daniel Gagnier, Gagnier, Brad Brad Lavigne, Lavigne, Tasha Tasha Kheiriddin, Kheiriddin, Jeremy Jeremy Kinsman, Steven Steven Langdon, Langdon, Velma Velma McColl, McColl, The contributors to this publication Productionhave worked independently designer: Renée and areDepocas solely responsible for the views presented here. Ted Menzies,Ted Menzies, Robert Robert P. Murphy, P. Murphy, Peggy Peggy Nash, Nash, Gil Gil Troy, Troy, MichaelMichael Watts.Watts. The opinions are not necessarily those of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, its Directors or Supporters. The contributors to this publication have worked independently and are solely responsible for the views presented here. The contributors to this publication have worked independently and are solely responsible for the views presented here. The opinions are not necessarily those of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, its Directors or Supporters. InsideThe Policy opinions is published are sixnot times necessarily a year by those the Macdonald-Laurier of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. TheInstitute, contents its ofDirectors the magazine or Supporters. are copyrighted, but may be re-produced with permission in print, and downloaded free of charge from the MLI website: macdonaldlaurier.ca Inside Policy is published six times a year by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. The contents of the magazine are copyrighted, Inside Policybut may is published be re-produced six times with apermission year by the in print,Macdonald-Laurier and downloaded Institute. free of charge The from contents the MLI of website:the magazine macdonaldlaurier.ca are copyrighted, For advertising information, please email: [email protected] but may be re-produced with permission in print, and downloaded free of charge from the MLI website: macdonaldlaurier.ca For advertising information, please email: [email protected]@macdonaldlaurier.ca Subscriptions: $39.95 per year; single issue, $6.95. | ISSN 1929-9095 (Print) | ISSN 1929-9109 (Online) For advertising information, please email: [email protected] Subscriptions: $39.95 per year; single issue, $6.95. | ISSN 1929-9095 (Print) | ISSN 1929-9109 (Online) The Macdonald-Laurier Institute is grateful to Intuit Canada for their support of Inside Policy magazine. Subscriptions: $39.95 per year; single issue, $6.95. | ISSN 1929-9095 (Print) | ISSN 1929-9109 (Online) The Macdonald-Laurier Institute is grateful to Intuit Canada for their support of Inside Policy magazine. Inside Policy: 8 York Street, Suite 200, Ottawa ON, Canada K1N 5S6, PH; 613-482-8327 The Macdonald-Laurier Institute is grateful to Intuit Canada for their support of Inside Policy magazine. Inside Policy: 8 York Street, Suite 200, Ottawa ON, Canada K1N 5S6, PH; 613-482-8327 2 Inside Policy — The Magazine of The Macdonald-Laurier Institute Inside Policy: 8 York Street, Suite 200, Ottawa ON, Canada K1N 5S6, PH; 613-482-8327 2 Inside Policy — The Magazine of The Macdonald-Laurier Institute 2 Inside Policy – The Magazine of The Macdonald-Laurier Institute insidepolicy [march].indd 2 14-04-01 10:00 AM 2 Inside Policy — The Magazine of The Macdonald-Laurier Institute insidepolicy [march].indd 2 14-04-01 10:00 AM insidepolicy [march].indd 2 14-04-01 10:00 AM From the editors Contents ith the federal election call at the beginning of August, we are 4 With democratic reform, be careful what now in the midst of a formal campaign that will be the longest you wish for Stanley H. Hartt in modern history. One real benefit could be that voters will have moreW time to study the major parties’ platforms, and determine which policy 7 Why voting, and nearly everything else, ideas they think are right for the country. is better online in Estonia This issue of Inside Policy, intended for publication before the early election Rachel Cunliffe call as we do not usually publish during federal elections, is intended to serve as 10 In the pursuit of justice a guide to some of the many issues where MLI has shown thought leadership: Robin V. Sears democratic reform, health care, Aboriginal affairs, security and counterterrorism, 15 Reviving medicare as an election issue national unity, the future of Canada Post, and that great favourite of politicians, Dr. Merrilee Fullerton income inequality. But to begin, we profile the Hon. Irwin Cotler, who will be leaving politics 19 Canada is worth more than a handful of votes after the election on Oct. 19. Inside Policy’s Robin Sears sat down with the Brian Lee Crowley respected member of Parliament for Mount Royal as he recalled his stellar career as an academic and defender of human rights, and a reluctant politician who was 21 New government will have to deliver involved in what Sears describes as “one of the most fascinating periods of law major changes at Canada Post Ian Lee reform in recent Canadian history”. Also in this issue, Dr. Merrilee Fullerton calls for the revival of the national 23 Five ways to turn political rhetoric health care debate in this election, even as our federal politicians give this vital on Aboriginal affairs into real action by government issue a wide berth. Ken S. Coates On Aboriginal affairs, MLI Senior Fellow Ken Coates offers a prescription for what has been a difficult file for the current government. But rather than the 29 The Great Gatsby curve is dead sweeping and impractical promises made by opposition leaders, Coates proposes Philip Cross five policy ideas that could result in real change. 30 The new reality: Fighting terrorism by When it comes to how we vote and who we vote for, there is plenty of preventing domestic radicalization dissatisfaction with the status quo. But Stanley H. Hartt cautions that some Scott Newark of the appealing-sounding ideas for reforming Canada’s appointed Senate and first-past-the-post voting system will cause more problems than they solve. He warns of the instability of systems that feature proportional representation, where “political