A Pilgrim's Journal

I just read this article in the Globe and Mail:

Link [www.theglobeandmail.com]

In it, it explains that there is a new Conservative policy that seeks to determine who can testify and who can not.

The reasoning given is that since MP's are responsible for their areas of work, they should be the ones to speak.

While I agree that MP's should be allowed to speak in their own defense, I disagree that they should be the only ones to speak.

If we liken these committee hearings to a court of law, does the defense get to determine what witnesses the prosecution calls? Of course not. The defense can question each witness, and has the right to face his accusers, but the defense does not have the right to muzzle witnesses.

Why then should the government get to determine what witnesses the committee gets to call? The government is clearly the "defense" in this matter. Why do they think they get to dictate the terms of the "trial"?

Yes, MP's are responsible. If it is determined that some malpractice occured under their watch, then they get to fry for it. But they don't get to limit the testimony.

This seems so basic. Why would the Conservatives continue to fight on this matter, unless they are trying to hide something?

If you spend all your energy on such tactics in the hopes of preventing some loss in polls, do you sincerely expect to make any gains? In other words, if you spend all your energy swimming against the current, you will not have any left over to move forward. And by "current" I am not talking about Liberal vs. Conservative. I am talking about things like Honesty vs. Deception, Open Transparency vs. Closed Bureaucracy, Courage vs. Fear. If you govern, by default, in the open, you will be able to focus more directly on making real progress. But trying to control every message and every piece of information that reaches the public ear takes real energy that could be used toward more profitable ends.

I welcome your response and any insights you can provide. I can also include your response on my blog if you like.

Sincerely,
Chris Frey
Kitchener, ON

CC: Michael Ignatieff, Jack Layton, Gilles Duceppe