| # "From the Left" ## The 1998 Guelph Tribune columns May 06, 1998 Bob Runciman, the Solicitor-General of Ontario, resigned after a section of the provincial Throne Speech was found to be in violation of a federal law. About a week earlier, Dan Schnurr threatened to resign from city council after his influence on the finance and administration committee was curtailed. Unfortunately, he didn't. The two incidents, though, are connected. Taken together, they provide evidence that should give us all reason to worry about the judgment and credibility of right wing municipal and provincial politicians. The Schnurr episode was particularly troubling because it erupted in the middle of an extremely emotional situation. Schnurr's two political allies on the finance committee, Linda Prior and Phil Cumming, had just been given the heave. Schnurr himself had been removed as chair of the committee. The three of them had the smell of sour grapes on their breath as hot words flew out of their mouths. One of the tests against which any politician should be judged is the ability to stand up to a crisis, to weather a storm. Regardless of political persuasion, they need to know how to accept political defeats when they happen, and how to move on to fight again. Maturity and honesty are important to the democratic political process. When they are absent, the public's cynicism about politics increases. These three failed the test. They had no one to blame but themselves for their political rout. The three of them had consistently disrupted the budget process, to the point where council as a whole finally had to take it over. Instead of learning a lesson, the trio immediately turned their sour grapes into whine. Schnurr threatened to do us all a favour and resign his seat. One of the three, we'll probably never know who, then proceeded to make up a story that maligned one of the more sensible members of council. Whoever it was should now do the decent thing and offer Cathy Downer, and all the citizens of Guelph, a public apology. Then he or she should resign from council. Blame for the Runciman affair should rest with Mike Harris. The Throne Speech is written in the Premier's office, and everything in it is checked and approved by him and his top aides. They decided they could score some political points by pointing to ordinary Ontarians who allegedly support what they have done. In trying to portray themselves as a kinder, gentler version of the people who brought in boot camps for young people, they violated the Young Offenders Act. The Solicitor-General's office supplied the name of a young offender, and the Premier's office identified the individual in the speech. The Act specifically prohibits anyone from doing anything that identifies a young offender. Just as Runciman had to resign from cabinet because of this, so should Harris. Whether or not the conservatives like this particular law, they are still obliged to obey it. If Harris's aides chose to break it, either out of ignorance or some misguided sense that it doesn't matter, then Harris himself has to wear the blame. Harris, Schnurr, Prior and Cumming have all shown an inability to accept the consequences of their own actions. They have shown, instead, that they will cast about for someone to hide behind, someone who will deflect attention away from their own inadequacies. This is not the style of politics that I want for my city or my province, and I don't think anyone else does either. |