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 Canadians. 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 British Columbia's with Canadian democracy. The Honourable Paul Martin, 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 New Westminster, The people slugging it out there MP for Edmonton 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, Mike Harcourt, 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.