The progress of democracy
White Rock B.C. - Monday, February 9, 2004 - by: Brian Marlatt
parliament	He’s no Jefferson, and thank goodness for it. Prime Minister Martin may be a Liberal, but he is demonstrating that he believes enough in an invigorated parliamentary democracy to avoid the errors of Jeffersonian constitutionalism.
checks and balances	Thomas Jefferson was an American revolutionary, liberal-thinker, and framer of the American constitution whose ideas about states rights federalism led directly to the North-South Civil War between the US states. Only the 20th century "imperial presidency" has overcome the crippling effect of states rights conflict, but at a cost to democratic accountability that the American system of division of powers and checks and balances dangerously fails to make responsible to the people.
roque	Consequently, a rogue presidency is a greater danger than even the least friendly dictatorship of any conceivable prime minister.
partisan criticism	A prime minister lacks the ultimate power of a head of state and is required by the principle of responsible government to stand in parliament to defend his policies against regularly withering Opposition criticism. Indeed, gratuitous criticism is our greater concern. Criticism so partisan as to lack credibility and respect, not a lack of responsible government and democratic accountability, bedevils us.
free vote	The Westminster three-line whip as the means to free votes in parliament is a positive step forward if the Opposition and the press allow it. By relaxing party discipline and the threat of self-serving confidence motions, parliament will be better able to do the work it is called to do.
dangers	Our worry should be that the pursuit of other agendas will betray this opportunity. "States rights" pursued through provincially elected senators or "states-rights" federalism; arbitrary fixed date elections which lessen government advantage during elections but also lessen democratic accountability between them; or making judicial appointments accountable to parliament even at a cost to the independence of the judiciary and thereby threatening the rule of law; and similar, questionable, agenda driven technical fixes have their partisans, but they should not be allowed to diminish the opportunity for positive change.
work together	This is a moment for all parties and provinces to put partisanship aside for the greater good. Jefferson would approve.
Brian Marlatt
Return to Ensign - Return to Saskatchewan News   This page is a story posted on Ensign and/or Saskatchewan News, both of which are daily web sites offering a variety of material from scenic images, political commentary, information and news. These publications are the work of Faster Than Light Communications . If you would like to comment on this story or you wish to contact the editor of these sites please send us email.   Editor : Timothy W. Shire Faster Than Light Communication Box 1776, Tisdale, Saskatchewan, Canada, S0E 1T0 306 873 2004