To the Liberal Party, From a Liberal

Down but not out, the party must fix the civil society it helped to break.

An election does not transform the basic DNA of the Canadian value system. That remains firmly rooted in the vital and sensible centre of our public life. It is why the Liberal Party of Canada must dust itself off and develop a strong sense of shared purpose.

For almost 20 years, the federal government has been managed, not led. Risk-averse and tactical government has replaced national leadership. At a time of seismic shifts in the world, Canada has been an unambitious bean counter. On the big issues domestically, we’ve succumbed to the numbing maxim of “gradual incrementalism.”

Since the early 1990s, Canada’s political leaders have not sought to educate, build consensus, and persuade. They have governed by slogans, quick fixes, and a “don’t worry, be happy” governing ethos. The cynicism of the political class has deepened our collective ignorance and fed our denial. That’s not leadership, that’s an abdication of leadership. The result has been a disconnected, complacent, cynical – and yes, ignorant – citizenry.

What right do we have to complain from the cheap seats when we don’t take the time to vote? Or when we do, we cast a ballot to throw out outstanding people or elect others whom we wouldn’t hire to take our dog for a walk? This isn’t American Idol, folks, this is our country and our democracy! We own it. And if we don’t take care of it, it won’t take care of us.

Liberals must assume our fair share of the responsibility for this state of affairs. It is now time to repair what we have contributed to breaking, including the party itself. At the heart of our attitude and culture, Liberals should be champions of bold reform and modernization. Canada’s most intractable problems are structural, so that’s where we must focus.

Although a taboo subject, federalism itself must undergo a renovation for it to have the capacity to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of the 21st century.

Interprovincial arrangements of all kinds are urgently needed in the areas of national productivity, energy, transportation, infrastructure, health care, labour mobility, interprovincial trade, the environment, post-secondary education, and Canada Pension Plan reform. A long-term plan and massive investments are needed in all of these areas.

Our social and economic union is weak. Trade and labour mobility between provinces are far from free. Jurisdictional overlap is cumbersome and an impediment to investment and efficient government. Our system of equalization is outmoded. The current formula rewards provinces that waste money and penalizes the fiscally responsible. That makes our country less equal. It fuels regional animosity and does not foster unity.

There is only one taxpayer, but there are multiple layers of government. For decades, Canadians have not received value for money, and our tax dollars have not been spent effectively or efficiently. Contrary to what Ottawa tells us, our national fiscal situation is far from healthy. The federal debt recently hit $570 billion, a new record. And when the accumulated deficits of Ottawa and the provinces are combined, the picture is much worse.