Ernestly ?!Ernestly ?!By ERNIE NEUFELD, Weyburn Review Associate Publisher
"What we owe each other."
That was the billed subject of the lecture, and combined with the identity of the lecturer, it was all I needed to enter the hall encumbered - at least tainted - with inherent prejudice.
However, having covered and reported on political meetings of parties with which I had little or no sympathy, I discovered long ago that it is possible to learn from - and even enjoy - intelligent, erudite speakers of any persuasion with the enviable gift of expressing themselves in front of audiences.
The man who was to take the podium was Bob Rae, premier of the first and only New Democratic Party government elected in the province of Ontario.
What little I knew of him was that he was respected for his intelligence, humour, integrity and good intentions. His track record supported (in my mind) the bias to which I have already confessed.
My view of the man, naturally, was what I had formed from the relative security of far-off Saskatchewan, where the NDP and its forerunner, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) have governed since the closing years of World War 2 - that's over half a century ago, by the way - almost continuously. Admittedly, there were two interludes (interregna), during which the Liberal and Tories, respectively, were entrusted with power, then ignominiously ousted after two terms each.
The CCF won power under the keen-minded leadership of Weyburn's Rev. Thomas Clement Douglas - now fondly and honourably remembered as Tommy - assisted by lieutenants whose chief qualification for affiliation with a socialist party probably lay in disaffection with, and rejection of, old-party policies and benign indifference, then endemic in our part of the country.
Tommy and company came in with dreams - some of them fanciful, some far-sighted, and some that ought to have been obvious to intelligent people. The party also rode the crest of a post-war wave of prosperity, technological change, and a natural reaction to a 15-year hiatus engendered by an unprecedented, drawn-out and partly drought-driven depression, and a world conflict that had exhausted provincial as well as national resources.
Some of the pipe dreams were flops, and they were forgiven in the general atmosphere of prosperity. A lot of the improvements for which the CCF government took credit were happening in other provinces under the aegis of the hated old parties. A few dreams - such as a comprehensive medicare and hospitalization system - led the nation and became identified as part of the Canadian character.
The NDP learned from 50 years of experience, augmented by stinging reversals at the polls in four elections, and has emerged as a party composed of mature, thoughtful politicians who have mastered what has often been characterized as "the art of the possible."
The result was that when the big deficit-driven crunch came, the Saskatchewan government survived as well as any of the provincial 10, and better than most. There were demonstrations, the pain of bitter denunciations by former friends, and inevitable criticism. But the government survived with honour and a good image, to the point where its biggest enemy may well become the complacency of success that tends to turn a blind eye to innovation, imagination and valid dissent.
In Ontario - viewed from a distance at least - Bob Rae reached power to his own surprise, bringing with him socialist ideals and goals that had fallen into worldwide disfavor at the very time of his ascendancy. While other provinces tried to hold the line on services and taxes, he increased taxes and borrowing, and was thrown out of office after one term that was seen - under prevailing circumstances - as a total and irresponsible disaster.
In trying to return solvency to the province, Premier Mike Harris has earned his own share of opprobrium and antagonism, to an extent that may well spell the defeat of the Tories in the next - and imminent - general election.
Given this scenario, you may forgive me if I prejudged Bob Rae's message, expecting it to be a justification of his own policies, which might be seen to have been vindicated by the Harris record.
Instead, there he was, with a sober summary of the political realities, identifying with much of the corrective action taken in all 10 provinces. He pointed out that since there are not enough rich people to pay the bill of public expectation, the costs must come from the pockets of the public. He pointed out that provincial spending is directed largely to education, health and social services. Thus reduction of taxes and deficit can only come from taxation of the employed, or the curtailment of expenditures in the areas mentioned.
Herein arose his question: "What do we owe each other?" He simply reminded listeners that the choice is theirs, but reminding them also that a political philosopher of note had declared that "taxes are the price we pay for civilization." He added, pointedly, an oft-cited pontification of Pogo of the comic strip: "I have seen the enemy and it is us."
So Mr. Rae came through to me (and to others, I gathered) as a warm, thoughtful, intelligent and gifted person who probably deserved better than he got in his political adventures, and is not likely to fade into oblivion. Any individual with his gifts and capability of learning from opponents and detractors, can only be deterred by untimely death.
I found myself agreeing with every word he said - obviously the litmus test - although I am tempted to add one little thought:
As he said or implied, governments have no secret money tree. The money has to come from the taxpayers. And there is little to be saved except in the fields of health, education and social services. But I would add that there is a vast army of people - the civil service - between the government that imposes the taxes and the public paying them. As things stand little can be cut anywhere without the co-operation of a genre that spends those tax dollars, and characteristically is not disposed toward solutions that will cut jobs or reduce remuneration in cash or privileges.
My address (also listed on the Review's Website) is ernestly@pathcom.com.
Box 400, 904 East Avenue
Weyburn, SK
S4H 2K4
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