All governments seek to control information. Yet secrecy, message control and disregard for Parliament have probably never been higher than with the current federal government under Stephen Harper. Such secrecy threatens the functioning of an open society, undermines the role of our elected representatives and the democratic process, weakens our institutions, discourages innovation and the giving of sound advice within government, and can lead to poor and costly policy decisions. This is the sorry state of affairs in Canada today with a prime minister who often acts more like an autocrat than a democrat and who seems to see politics as a permanent war rather than as a public purpose for the common good.
These are not conclusions to reach lightly. Yet some of the best evidence comes from a recent book, New Directions for Intelligent Government in Canada: Papers in Honour of Ian Stewart, published to celebrate the 80th birthday of a remarkable Canadian public...
David Crane is a journalist with a strong interest in political economy and globalization. He can be reached at crane@interlog.com.
Advertisement
Advertisement