By Parry-Sound Muskoka MP Scott Aitchison
As we approach the Christmas season this year, I think it’s safe to say we’ll all be glad to put 2020 behind us. For my part, I’ll be reflecting on lessons learned, counting our many blessings, and exploring opportunities for recovery here in Parry Sound-Muskoka.
It really has been a tough year for many families and businesses. In our area the challenges have been made even more difficult because of the lack of affordable and accessible internet service. This has been a top priority for me in Ottawa, and while I was pleased to see a major funding announcement earlier this fall, we still have more to work to do. Please keep those calls and letters of support coming!
Our region has also been hit especially hard economically because we rely more than other areas on seasonal businesses. Unfortunately, our last “season” for local lodging, restaurants, and summer tourist attractions was essentially wiped out.
While the federal government has responded with assistance for many sectors of our economy, they have chosen not to support some important sectors—such as summer camps. As many constituents know, summer camps are not only an important contributor to our local economy, but also to the development of our young people. So that one is a priority, too.
Even with all our challenges, we’ve accomplished some great things together, too. For the most part, our local population has done a great job of masking, social distancing, and keeping our numbers down. Our community groups have come together to support the most vulnerable, especially seniors; and our first responders have served us admirably throughout this crisis.
Together, we have shown is it possible to “flatten the curve”. Not just here at home, but throughout Ontario and right across Canada. In fact, I had the honour earlier this year to initiate a project on social media with three other MPs from three different political parties. Together we crafted and delivered a united public service message of support and appreciation for the people of Canada.
I wish politicians and political parties could work closer and better than is often the case today. As a member of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, it is our job to hold the government accountable. Canadians are counting on us to ask the tough questions, and I get that. Still, wouldn’t it be a nice Christmas present if the government were to start treating the opposition parties as colleagues, instead of as adversaries? Wouldn’t it be a great wish for the New Year that we had more details about the current extent of Ottawa’s spending? Or borrowing? Or even their vaccine plan?
Moreover, we need to start turning our attention to real and meaningful recovery. Not pie-in-the-sky jobs that may or may not materialize someday. But the real, good, decent-paying jobs that have been severely impacted by the pandemic.
Here at home recovery starts by building on our strengths. Our incredible natural resources. Our beauty. Our lakes and waterways. Our clean environment. And, more than anything else, our people.
Together, with input from the whole community, I would like to see us put together a realistic economic action plan for 2021. With a solid plan for recovery, and with vaccines coming on stream in the New Year, we can all look forward to turning things around here in Parry Sound-Muskoka.
Now that’s a great New Year’s resolution for 2021!
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(Photo of Parliament Hill by festivio on Pixabay. Photo of Scott Aitchison courtesy of Scott Aitchison.)
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Those of us who think minority governments are just fine, ensuring at least the appearance of accountability, the very essence of the task assigned to you, Scott is to oppose.
When you start talking about wanting to become collegial with the government what you are really saying is you hanker after a form of government where members sitting in the House agree with other members there regardless of which bench they are on.
This is a rookie mistake.
Ganging up on the electorate while ostensibly belonging to different political groups is something those of us with a European background fear more than anything else.
There’s even a term for it: “bundling together” or in Italian fascio.
Sadly it’s also not just you that thinks it might work again. Today the NYT reports State republicans are attempting to persuade the USSC to gang up on the Democrats disenfranchising millions in 17 states so that Trump can take back the election he just lost.
Now don’t get me wrong I am not accusing you of being a Republican much less a bundler of divisive opinions, but you clearly have yet to embrace fully Bagehot’s notion of a healthy, functioning parliamentary democracy.
Politics is the art of compromise; of reaching a common goal from a divergent viewpoint. It doesn’t always work and your party, mine too by the way, seems to struggle with the notion more than the Liberals. But as Mr. Churchill once said of democracy It is the worst form of government except for all others”
Stick with it and Happy Christmas or whatever the PC term is now.
Thank you Scott for your words of encouragement.
Re: promotion of partisan problem solving – hope springs eternal. We have relied on the “working” of government in their respective roles during this time; we continue to need that progress to be made.
I hope parliament can continue to recover from the Harper Years and his ‘party of one’ treatment of his own MPs. Reaching out to MPs from other parties, as you have done, will help. Merry Christmas Scott!
Dr. Don: boom!
Merry Christmas to us all. Maybe one year Santa will bring us an end to party politics and may we have women, “outsiders” and curious, energetic problem delvers working together and exclusively on actual issues and problems. I’m sure those folks are already in parliaments but we know the system and their priorities.
Big, main question: how do we want to live?
Scott, I fixed this for you “Still, wouldn’t it be a nice Christmas present if the opposition parties were to start treating the government as colleagues, instead of as adversaries?”
Thank you Scott for thinking about recovery and getting people back to work it seems to me the liberals only think about borrowing money to hand out to people that don’t seem to want to work. When I look around in town it seem most businesses have a help wanted sign up. The fed’s have given us seniors a bit of a hand out but now with the price of food reported to be going up by 6 or 7 percent it sure would be nice to see a increase on out pensions.