Lets get them webcams in the house ASAP!
Canada's 22nd Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, did something truly historic this past week. He did something that no Canadian prime minister had ever done before. He went on YouTube and answered questions. Now granted, by YouTube standards he's not as popular as say a cat that can flush the toilet, but the fact is he embraced the new media and for that he should be commended. Because I believe now more then ever, it is the Internet that can help save Canadian democracy. And it needs saving. And not from any outside forces, but from the people we have so tragically elected. Because believe me, they're out of control.
Kids on field trips go into question period, having learned in school that democracy is something worth dying for. They leave an hour later convinced that blithering idiots rule the world. And can you blame them? Anyone who has watched question period live knows the evidence is on display. The problem is Canadians at home can't see that because all of the bad behavior is hidden off-camera.
And the solution is webcams. Regular old fashioned webcams, the same kind of webcams that many of our younger members of Parliament like Pierre Poilievre or Jason Kenney probably have in their homes. There should be one on every desk in the House of Commons. And the minute that place opens up that camera should be on. And we should be able to go online, click and watch our member of parliament. You know, kind of like a fancy baby monitor.
And if they're missing in action, like Michael Ignatieff was all last week, we should be able to stare at the empty seat and come to our own conclusions. And if they want to sit there and twitter about who's wearing what, like Lisa Raitt or just sit there and bark like a rabid dog, like John Baird does when he's in a good mood, we should be able to watch that too. And believe me, after one week of webcamming they will be on their best behavior. And who knows, maybe something might even get done.
Because nothing inspires a politician to greatness like a good old fashioned shaming.
March 31, 2010
Spring @ the Woodcock's
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