British Columbia’s most informed political commentary comes not from people at rewrite desks in the Legislative Press Gallery but from a retired — but not retiring — newsman. I refer, of course, to Rafe Mair, whose recent work should not be missed. (Find it HERE and HERE.) It includes an assertion that, while true, is seldom discussed in corporate media:
Canadians are governed by a fraudulent charade called a “parliamentary democracy”…
In a parliamentary democracy the voter transfers his rights to his member of parliament to exercise on his behalf – the trouble is, by running for his political party, the MP assigns your rights to the leader for his exclusive use!
Sean Holman, formerly a political reporter in Victoria, now a journalism professor in Calgary, produced WHIPPED (linked HERE), a video documentary that reinforces Rafe’s assertions. It shows how party discipline transforms Canadian politicians into “trained seals.”
Sadly, although the disease may be diagnosed, a remedy is impossible as long as the population tolerates a handful of people using financial muscle to control political organizations. Democracy may be weakest of all in British Columbia because here, greed is a guiding quality of the ruling elites.
Vested interests dictate policy; eager officeholders and corporate journalists acquiesce, like puppies, sniffing for treats from the masters.
More Rafe Mair, from Ian Jessop’s June 10 program on CFAX1070:
Categories: Journalism
in-sights.ca 
Rafe is unique in this 21st century. He tells the truth.
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I always look forward to Rafe’s articles and his tweets and pleased to see he is now commenting regularly on blogs. It would be of great service to the voter in BC if he were to say, replace Keith Baldrey as the Global commentator, we may get some real perspective of the goings on as opposed to cheerleading the most corrupt and incompetent government in Canada.
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Oh, that would be too funny for words. Rafe replacing the keef. Yes, that will happen as soon as Global changes ownership.
Just think, a reporter who didn’t let the “ownership” of his contract dictate what they said. Now that would require a true democracy. Right now, especially in B.C. democracy is only for the very moneyed few, not for the average voter. You’d think some of the B.C. Lieberals might grow a back bone and tell their leader, enough is enough, but no, they just go on with the charade.
It is too bad Canadian politicians weren’t more like the British and Australian which challenge their leaders and some times remove them from the leadership. if this were to happen in B.C./Canada we would have much more responsive leadership, which would be more accountable to the voter and the rank and file M.P./M.L.A.
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Rafe Mair has now posted Part II on his broken democracy story: http://commonsensecanadian.ca/rafe-wild-idea-fix-canadas-broken-democracy/
Excellent stuff!
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