I was not going to post my regular “Sunday Sermon” this week,
little in the news having grabbed my attention but then I saw this
thanks
to Montreal Simon. It sums up my current feelings quite well so
here are a couple of extracts from Heather
Mallick's article in the Star.
Canada has changed so much in the 100 days since the Liberal
cabinet was sworn in that I don’t quite know how to describe it.
It’s not a sea change, which is a gradual encrustation at full
fathom five, or a reversion, which would let us pretend those 10
Harper years had never happened. Don’t ever forget that lost
decade.
But as I write this, Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau is live on Twitter, asking us to ask him anything. Tell
me that’s not new. If Harper had had anything to say to citizens,
it would have been, “Stay away from me. I have guards both human
and dog,” or “We are watching you from apertures.”
She goes on to say....
Climate change is now taken seriously and can be discussed
without fear. Government scientists can speak freely without stigma.
There will be an inquiry into missing and murdered
aboriginal women, and it will be well-designed and purposeful. Their
shameful treatment cannot go on forever. If we don’t make things
right, will we become like the U.S., padlocked into hate since the
Civil War with no end in sight? Intolerable.
The cabinet is half female. I don’t think anything has
given strength to Canadian women more than that, and the male half of
cabinet is honoured to work with them. And Ottawa no longer
persecutes Muslim women in head scarves. There is no longer a hotline
for snitching on self-defined “barbaric cultural practices.”
And concludes like this.....
I like the new tone, although the rule of no heckling/racism
in the Commons will likely have to be enforced.
I like Trudeau’s personality. Imagine Harper joking with
the Queen or being invited by U.S. President Barack Obama to a state
dinner.
We have four Liberal years ahead of us and I don’t feel
cynical about the future. My cynicism has always been my worst
quality. It’s good to shrug it off.
Yes Heather, I also feel my cynicism with government dwindling and
it does feel good. Let us hope it lasts!
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3 comments:
I read that article, Rural, and I think she is quite correct in her sentiments. I feel much better today than I did a year ago, but I am also aware that there will be much to criticize about the new government in the months and years to come. However, to criticize is not to reject. It is only part of being an informed and engaged citizen.
As you say Lorne, democracy requires that we are informed and engaged, but now it would seen that doing so will be much easier.
Yes, and no worry of crystalnight, book burnings or jackboots kicking in the door at night.
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