As the year ends, it’s time for some deep thoughts about the state of our politics.
Okay, maybe we don’t all have the ability for deep thoughts, but we can learn from others who do. And that’s how we are going to start this last edition of The Buzz for 2023.
Just look around at our politics, our neighbour’s politics, in fact, many other country’s politics too, and it’s a worrying sight.
Ingrid Leman Stefanovic is Professor Emeritus at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia and at the University of Toronto. She is the editor of Conversations in Ethical Leadership. In this column written for the National Observer, she challenges us to consider how we feel about our politics in general, and the ethics in our politics in particular.
What happened to ethics in politics?
On the same thought, David Baxter of Global News decided to do some exit interviews with some MPs who have chosen not to run again.
He was looking for their thoughts on the state of Parliament these days. His findings are pretty clear.
Exiting MPs share their views on the state of politics: 'Toxic atmosphere'
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Find out more >The big question for small parties making arrangements with governing parties has always been who will get the credit for the good things achieved.
In the past, such "deals" have often, not always, worked for the governing party that's kept in power and the smaller party has been basically forgotten. Jagmeet Singh is no fool, he knows the stakes, and he's on the circuit trying to remind Canadians who did what and why. Darren Major of CBC News has an online piece looking at that very issue
Could some policy wins lift the NDP's political fortunes?
What is it exactly that has Joe Biden, at best, running even with the four times indicted, twice impeached, liable for rape Donald Trump?
Not a lot of people can figure that out, especially when you look at the fundamentals. That’s what NY Times opinion columnist Brett Stephens tried to determine in September in what the Times refers to now as one of its best columns of the year:
Why So Many Americans Are So Down on Biden
So, did you watch “The Crown”?
Do you follow the ins and outs of the real Crown? Do you even care about the Crown? How about King Charles? Did you get up Christmas morning and, before heading to the gifts under the tree, watch the old guy give his Christmas message? (He’s actually younger than me by a couple of months and I’m old, so that makes him an old guy too). Come on, did you even check one of those boxes? If you did then you’ll be all over this next story. Is Prince William actually spending his time manoeuvring to take over from Charles? DNYUZ.COM is all over the palace gossip as the year ends on this one:
Prince William Expects ‘More Influence and Control’ Over the Monarchy
Here’s my favourite story of the week and it comes from Raisa Patel in the Toronto Star’s Ottawa bureau.
It’s not another he-said, she-said political hot-button potboiler. No, this one is what’s close to all our hearts. Food.
I first visited the Parliamentary Restaurant on the sixth floor of Centre Block in the mid-seventies. It was a huge deal to be in there and as a member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery, I had access. So did MPs and Senators.
It was an amazing place to grab lunch or dinner. You could find yourself sitting a table away from the political heavyweights of the day – yup, that’s Pierre Trudeau over in the corner, John Diefenbaker in his favourite alcove, Flora MacDonald holding court at her usual spot. And the list went on.
And if you played your angles right you could listen to their conversations as the sound waves bounced up from their table hit the domed glass above some tables and came down at yours. A few stories did break that way or so legend has it!
But that wasn’t all. It was ridiculously cheap for a first-class meal. You could bring a guest (all your friends, and you suddenly had more than you thought you had, wanted invites), be spoiled by the staff, and have a hard time spending more than twenty bucks for a dinner for two. Outrageous I agree, although I never fought it at the time, but the benefit eventually ran out. Prices went up to better reflect reality, plus the stately sixth-floor Centre Block restaurant is closed these days for a decade of renovation work on the whole block.
But there are other restaurants on the Hill and they are all under the guidance of the head chef, a fellow by the name of Judson Simpson, who’s held the top job for thirty-two years! Okay enough from me, check out Raisa’s piece:
Inside the world of Parliament Hill's head chef — and why he's been quietly shrinking portion sizes for MPs
