The Harper government also just authorized the opening of the BC coast to fish farming despite spending 23 million dollars on a commission that found that it should be stopped or at least curtailed.  See: Cohen Commission.  Coincidentally, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is destroying the bulk of their research library.  That all smells worse than old fish.

Christy Clark hyped job creation and created a job creation review board for the benefit of her campaign in the last election.  That board just submitted it’s report and stated that BC has actually lost jobs and that it ranks 9th in the country in terms of economic progress (in some areas).  Ms Clark buried the report and disbanded the review board.  No press release.  An intrepid reporter (Makin at The Tyee) found it .

Watch Christy Clark…she smiles a lot.

Justin Trudeau swore up and down that his expenses were legitimate.  Then the ‘Expense Oversight Committee’ found a few minor irregularities.  Mr. Trudeau simply brushed them off as mistakes.  Which, actually, I am sure they were.  Too small to be corruption.  But in the era of the senate scandal and just after being found double-dipping on the lecture circuit, you’d think that a Prime Minister-in-waiting would have made doubly-bloody-sure about what he was saying in that regard before saying it….wouldn’t you?

Justin got the looks and magnetism from his father but not the brains, it seems.

Poor old Neil Young (rock star) speaks out against the tar sands – he is entitled to speak – and government and industry spokespeople attack him.  Call him ignorant and not a help to the aboriginal community.  Which is odd since he is totally surrounded by First Nations representatives and is an integral part of their protest.  A citizen speaks up and gets slapped down.

News prediction: Neil Young tasered!  Neil young detained at airport.  Drugs seized!  Canada Revenue charges Neil Young with tax evasion!

They have their ways.

These examples are, I am afraid, symbolic and illustrative of our country today.  Think the propagandists of Russia, China and North Korea.  In that order.

You think I am exaggerating? See the Kim Jong-un, Mao, Stalin-esque 100% propaganda show 24/7 dedicated to the accomplishments of our great leader.  It is a series!   From the Huffington Post:  On Thursday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the launch of a new video series promising to keep Canadians “in the know” with a weekly ration of edited government updates to trumpet Tory achievements.  With “The Maple Leaf Forever” playing in the background, the first episode of “24 Seven” features a highlight reel of the prime minister’s travels from Vancouver to Inuvik and the appointment of Canada’s new ambassador to Israel.

The people’s champions are an aging rock star, Elizabeth May and well, I don’t see anyone else on the horizon, do you?

I have to reluctantly conclude that government does not and never has represented the common good, the common people or what is in the best interests of the country.  Not a bit.

And we are delusional if we think they do. 

I am sorry…but, really…to paraphrase Forest Gump: “Government is as government does.”  And government taxes and prosecutes the people.  THAT is what they do.  Period!

“Don’t we at least have to tell the truth to each other?” 

Those who refuse to vote because it means participating in a corrupt system are right.  I don’t see it changing any other way but by voting but the choices available to the voter are (deliberately) unacceptable so what choice do they really have?  Fifty percent of the people don’t vote, as a rule.  You think they are going to rebel?!  When asked why they abstain from exercising their franchise, they say, “Makes no difference who gets in, they are all the same!”

Actually, if you ask the question that way, most people would say, “Whaddya mean, franchise?  I don’t have a franchise…waddya talkin’, doofus…  Think I own a McDonalds or sump’n?”

We are, collectively, kind of stupid.

Maybe, someday, a photogenic (necessary it seems), well-spoken, honest person who cares for the country in an intelligent, sustainable, egalitarian way manifesting a political and economic path that gives the people a real chance at working and contributing to the common good will emerge.

Don’t hold your breath.