DEMOCRACY IS FOR THE PEOPLE

by Reginald Angus Argue

My late relative, the former Liberal Senator Hazen Argue, once stood and battled against the Communists and fought to keep large corporations in check, during the Cold War era. He also fought for the rights of the hardworking farming community in Saskatchewan and all of Canada. Mr. Argue was one of the instrumental forces behind the wheat pool, which is now one of the biggest exporters of wheat to the world marketplace. Indeed, the wheat board has helped the Canadian farming community to compete with the rest of the world.

Some prominent federal politicians have and have been disconcerting forces that threaten the gains made from those of the past. Some argue that the former Reform Party and the current new Conservative Party (now headed by Stephen Harper who emerged as the leader of the Canadian Alliance Party after Reform re-invented itself on the national scene) have not held social policies in high regard. "Through repeated interventions, managed to persuade delegates that universal Medicare was a bad idea, that any support for farmers was "socialistic"..."Harper described policies coming from the "bottom-up" as "simple and low quality". These points were taken from, Why Stephen Harper will—and should—fail. ( http://www.punditmag.com/discus/messages/32/329.html)

Presently, there has been talk about changing the Medicare system and making it more privatized in parts of Canada. Mr. Harper has said he will transfer money into helping the Medicare system, if he is elected. However, how can the electorate trust Mr. Harper, if in the past he was involved in persuading Reform Party delegates that universal Medicare was a bad idea, that any support for farmers was socialistic.

Some may argue that while political parties may change their names and may make some changes to their platforms to win public support, much of who they are rests on the history of their policies. Canadians should emphasize what Canada has stood for over the years. Remember how our Medicare system and other social programs have made Canada stand apart from other industrialized Nations. These programs have demonstrated that Canadians care for the fellow men and women. Canada must never lose who we are and what are forefather’s have given so much for, all in an effort to make certain that the future generations would be taken care of.

Some may say that Canada cannot afford to keep the Wheat Board, Medicare, and all of its social programs. I argue that without these programs, Canada would turn into a nation where Medicare costs for the sick and elderly would be drastically higher than it is. We should consider that under a different system, Canadians would be forced to pay for our medical expenses regardless of the cost. If one does not have private medical insurance, the costs of health care under a different system could reach well over $400 to $500 a month.

For persons who are on a fixed income, do not have that much savings, are barely getting by or are close to retirement, this new system would negatively impact their quality of life and well-being. All of these groups of people, who may not be able to afford the cost of private medical insurance will be expected to pay for their medical bills, which could even reach the levels of well over $100,000. This could overnight wipe out the personal saving that have taken people years to build up and drive these people to the streets, where they would not be able to afford to get out of.

The afore-mentioned demonstrates that social programs have been an integral part of Canadian society and politicians and political parties who are trying to change the system threaten the very system Canadians have created as their own identity.

While Mr. Harper has altered his party platform on health care, at least prior to the 2004 federal election, much needs to be considered. Historically, the Reform Party has not endeared itself to many of Canada's most cherished social systems and programs.

As a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, my view of the political Canadian landscape is influenced by the my personal experiences and how I have served my country. Immediately, I am brought back to my memories of my United Nation Tour over to Iran in 1988. In this nation, I was shown how if a totalitarian government was able to control the nation, it would be able to tell the people what to think, what to read, what to say, and what god to believe in, while the women and minorities were treated as second class citizens. At the same time, the sounds of the secret police, which are stripping the rights from the people, were close behind.

Some people would say that these conditions would never be allowed to happen in a Western Democratic Nation like Canada. However, already there are signs coming out the New Federal Conservative Party which some find alarming. Already, members in this party have come out against the rights of the minorities, including gay rights and possibly abortion rights (which some argue are women's rights). As the leader, Mr. Harper has stated that he would allow members in his party to introduce private member bills, if they were to come to power. This in itself should raise sufficient ire with Canadians. Much of these rights have been afforded to us through the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Some argue that deviating from Charter rights or limiting the power of the Charter serve the vested interests of elites.

It is my belief that if this New Conservative Party were allowed to dictate their policy to Canada, it may change the fabric of our system:

(1) The Conservative Party could enter into the treaty of the Americas. This treaty gives all power to large corporations. These corporations will be allowed to operate outside of the law in any nation in the Americas. While, all copyrights, patents and even natural resources of a Nation are up for grabs by these Corporations. Also, at this time all treaties made with the Aboriginal people throughout North, South and Central America would be disregarded and not worth the paper that these treaties were printed on.
(2) The New Conservative Party could reduce National bilingualism within Canada. Proof of this is how the Conservatives are going to stop using bilingualism within all Air Canada flights. In addition, the Conservatives may move the head office for Air Canada from Montreal.
(3) The New Conservative Party would not recognize the voices of the Canadian people and send us to war, without our permission. An example of this last point was just before the Iraq invasion, Mr. Harper had ignored the popular support of the Canadian people and pushed for Canada to join the forces that attacked Iraq.
(4) The New Conservative Party could found a New Security office (like the CIA). Once this office is up and running, all people in Canada would be opened to a new landscape, clearly putting a strain on civil liberties and possibly Charter rights.
(5) All low income and working class pesons's (truck drivers, farmers, cashiers, and even small business owners) rights may be largely ignored in lieu of their heavier concentration on big corporations.

Canadians must realize that we are at a crossroads, where two pathways now lay in front of all Canadians to follow:

On one pathway there is hope of freedom, peace, prosperity and openness.

On the second pathway there stands one party (New Conservative Party) that by its actions is trying to bring Canada back to a place that runs contrary to what veterans such as myself have fought for: freedom, democracy, equality and social justice.

So, as we go into our election booth, we must realize that the basic rule of democracy is that it is of the people by the people, with the people being the deciding force behind what direction a nation must go. With this in mind, it is up to each individual to decide responsibly which way to vote.

In closing, I would like to leave people with a section from a poem that I once wrote. As I change this ending to the situation in that has now overtaken Canada:

You can chain me up
And even defeat me now
But there is one thing that you can be sure of
That sooner or later you will be removed from this place
A place that has endless fields of green and fences made of stone
And on that day you will hear me yell
That Canada is free from your oppression at last

All Content Inclusive, Copyright © 2004 Reginald Angus Argue