The most damaging sin of almost all North Atlantic and European democracies has been lack of attention by the governing and opinion-forming classes to the social disruption of the last three decades. This has nurtured the dissatisfaction of too many people who feel betrayed and disenfranchised. Most are victims of globalized economics, advances in production technology, and the perceived diminishment of their sense of communal identity and worth.
Economic disparity, festering senses of regional victimhood, vanishing industries and a philosophically isolated establishment class whose vision of the country is often at dangerous variance to that of work-a-day Canadians all contribute to the unease experienced by a growing number of the country’s citizens.
This continuing “drift” towards unchallenged leadership is profoundly dangerous as it contributes to the perception that power in our democracy is not in the hands of the people and their elected representatives. There are ways of re-empowering elected politicians and thus the necessary re-engagement with voters.
Canada, in common with other North Atlantic democracies, needs a way of inserting long-term vision into the governmental and policy development process that exerts real influence on decisions made today and lasting beyond tomorrow. Senators should be elected to give them political legitimacy, but for longer terms than MPs, and with a specific mandate that enhances the work of the House of Commons rather than contests it. Make no mistake: In this scenario, the House of Commons must remain supreme.
All the baseless attacks on China and Chinese ppl on twitter are disgusting and pathetic. Can't you live without proposing an imaginary enemy? You know nothing about Chinese culture. China is totally different from North Korea or Sovient Union, neither communism nor dictatorship.
'There is no doubt that Moscow and Beijing have been doing their best to disrupt elections and the democratic process in North America and Europe since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989.'---I know Moscow did. But you don't have any evidence Beijing interfering US election!
Preemptive reform is definitely needed. But I would look to how we elect the MPs before delving down the path of Senate elections.