A test of Democracy

A debate is raging quietly in Ottawa over the legitimacy of a vote in the House of Commons about whether or not Canada will join the U.S.-led Ballistic Missile defence program. This issue affects every day people, yet the Liberal party doesn’t seem to be listening.

Ronald Regan’s 1983 Star Wars Missile Defense program fell apart, but under George W. Bush there are renewed plans for Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD), most importantly the National Missile Defence Program. This incarnation proposes a system that would protect all of North America from so-called “rogue nations”. Of course all of North America includes Canada.

Paul Martin has the last word on National Defense Issues, whether he is the leader of a minority government or a majority. He has continually justified Canada’s participation in BMD but has agreed to hold a vote in Commons.

Some of his own MPs have said they will not support his position to join, and will side with the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois who are opposed.

Alexa McDonough the NDP Foreign Affairs critic has put a motion to the Foreign Affairs committee members that public hearings should be held in every province.

Even Stephen Harper has asked for clarification of the implications of signing on.

The Polaris Institute is a public interest research group located in Ottawa that works to get citizens involved in public policy making. Steven Staples, their defence analyst and Director of their Project of the Corporate Security-State said, “I don’t think achieving a vote is a big victory. The only reason the Liberals have arranged for a vote is because they think they can rig it.”

Martin is, “Counting on solidarity amongst the cabinet... and the Conservatives, therefore they will win the vote; that’s enough to overcome the Bloc and NDP and their own members in the caucus whole vote against it,” Staples continued.

He thinks there is a crisis of democracy not only in the House of Commons but also within the entire system.

“On the whole issue of how the government has been handling this issue has been appalling.” The arguments used by Minister of Defence Bill Graham and Martin are protecting Canada, preserving NORAD, and winning military contracts.

Staples refuted these points: “A statement made by an unnamed official in the U.S. State Department said, ‘Coverage for Canada (by BMD) would be incidental.’”

The NORAD agreement was changed in August, meaning its fate is already sealed.

Lastly, due to the current protectionist sentiment in the U.S., Canadians will be paying for military contracts.

Graham “is now grasping at keeping the Americans happy, trying to sidestep all the critics, sidestep all logic. This is really based on fear.”

NDP spokesperson Karl Belanger agrees the vote is largely symbolic, but is hopeful because “We now have one more tool to fight this project and now we are calling for public hearings.”

He thinks that despite the government’s non-commitment to holding a vote after hearing from the public, it is still important to inform the public, and he is optimistic that Martin will hold the vote later, rather than sooner.

“The Liberals would not pretend like they’ve been in favour of it like they have been pretending, and (pretending) this was not militarization of space,” said Belanger.

The U.S. government’s Department of Defense Web site clearly shows a plan (with picture) that involves the militarize space.

Arguments for Canada joining the Americans in their quest “To defend the United States, deployed allies and friends,” has quickly gone from three ridiculous points to one main point which is to remain on good terms with the U.S.

Since when has that been of utmost importance to Canadians, considering a March 2004 Ipsos-Reid survey showed seven in ten are against joining missile defence?

After all Martin has been criticized by his party as conceding too much to the opposition parties. But, issues that affect all Canadians should be taken outside of parliament as the opposition has requested. If Canadians’ opinions continue to be ignored, democracy as a whole could be seriously jeopardized in this country.

Illustration by Trevor Turner