Angry in the Great White North

Finally, good news being reported in Canada:

Only about one in four Canadians said they really trusted the federal government to do what is right, a new poll to be released Friday suggests, while a majority said they thought politicians lose touch with the public soon after being elected.

Well, it's about time:

When asked if they trusted the federal government to do what was right, only 27 per cent of those polled said they trusted the government always or most of the time, compared to about 58 per cent of Canadians who were surveyed in the late 1960s.

Forty years to figure that out. Government is not profit driven. A government is working for the betterment of the people in the community.

There are two basic ways to ensure the people are better off as a result of government action. The government can try not to do anything bad, or it can try to do something good.

Not doing anything bad is best ensured by doing very little at all. That means leaving the citizenry with the maximum amount of freedom and responsibility.

In Canada, however, the government tries to do something good. It takes our money and implements social programs, usurping roles normally performed by private citizens, limiting their freedoms. It has been happening for decades, and is happening even now. Witness the planned implementation of a national daycare program.

But when an organization begins to think of itself as a force for good, it soon believes itself to be the best force for good. From there it is only a short hop to believing that it is the only force for good. When that happens, that organization stands in sole judgment of its own behaviour (there is no else qualified, after all), and inevitably, the only criticism it can level against itself is that it isn't doing enough. Hence the virtual non-stop growth in government in Canada since the 60s.

Indeed the only thing standing in its way is an election. Elections are a danger, They can interrupt, or worse, roll back all those good advances. Next step: find a way around elections.

Ignoring confidence votes.

Passing out cabinet posts as bribes.

Moving millions of taxpayers' dollars into party coffers.

But now most Canadians understand where the road paved with good intentions leads.

Now the trick is going to deal with everyone who starts bleating about restoring our faith in government.