Fairness

My intention with this post was to write a positive piece on the Harper government. Most of my entries are highly critical of the Tories, so I thought I should cite some initiatives I agree with for balance. Everyone has a bias which shapes their opinions, but I think we all strive for some objectivity in our thought process. So, as I go through the laundry list of the Conservatives policies, I do find certain measures which I support.

I do believe we pay too much in taxes. I do believe we should be in Afghanistan. I do believe we need to get tough on sex offenders. I do believe Quebec should have a place at the UNESCO table. I do believe the former government had an air of corruption. I do believe Kyoto has flaws. Etc.

However, despite all this apparent agreement I still find myself critical in terms of philosophy and motivations. I don’t believe the Conservatives and I find commonality for the same reasons. I believe Quebec should get a seat at UNESCO because I believe in the two solitudes. I think Stephen Harper advocates this policy because he sees political opportunity, rather than a genuine desire to recognize Quebec’s culture. On almost every issue I look at, I don’t trust the why part of the equation. I don’t see a government acting in my interest, but one consumed by self-interest.

I don’t agree with the overarching philosophy of conservatism, so when we do collide and find agreement it is more by accident than shared values. With this government, the more I see, the more it confirms my suspicions. Conservatives would argue, how can you be against issue A? I answer, I like A (example 5% renewable initiative), but I know A is meant to deflect B and I also now the close ties with C (big oil and gas). When you step back from individual issues, that is when you see the real divide and return to the cynicism.

In the end, I don’t trust Rona Ambrose, I don’t trust Stock Day and I don’t trust Harper to operate within my value sets. I believe these people have a different agenda, that has no relationship to mine and for this reason all the supposed agreement evaporates because of that transparency. The spirit of fairness is one thing, but when it necessitates ignoring what you know, it is more a delusion, than a search for objectivity. I don’t like these characters, I think they are bad for the country, and the sooner we get rid of them the better, for the good of the everyone.