I believe in this oft-cited maxim: Blind belief in authority is the greatest enemy of truth.
A CBC story broke last week about how Conservative (CPC) MPs are being tightly controlled by Leader Pierre Poilievre. MPs told the CBC, “Everybody is being watched. What we say, what we do, who we talk to.” Another MP said: “The leader comes first.”
The only thing that surprised me about the story is that it took so long to come out. The tension in the CPC party is palpable. We have witnessed the actions described in the article, including MPs being punished for doing the right thing or being forced to do or say things against their own values and better judgement.
What is happening in the CPC party is profoundly concerning. It goes against the fundamental principles of how our parliamentary system works. The idea that “the leader comes first” should be rejected outright. The people of Sudbury elected me, and they are the ones who come first for me in Ottawa. It is their needs I put first, always.
Contrast that with what happened last week when Conservative MPs who had been advocating for their communities to receive housing funding were forced to withdraw their advocacy efforts. Poilievre’s MPs described it as extremely frustrating. “MPs are being stopped from helping their cities for partisan reasons. This is no time to play politics with housing.”
It is important to note that all CPC MPs are required to follow the rules under Poilievre’s leadership. Sudbury’s CPC candidate would be forced to blindly follow the leader. What would this mean for Sudbury? Well, consider the more than $100 million in federal funding the city has received for housing. This funding has led to good paying construction jobs, and the creation of 500 new homes for people. Without your local MP advocating for this funding, it wouldn’t happen.
The consequences of leader-first thinking is on display daily in the House of Commons where CPC MPs are forced to vote against the best interests of their communities. For example, CPC MPs were forced to unanimously vote against sending much needed military support to the people of Ukraine. Some of those MPs have large Ukrainian communities in their riding, just like Sudbury does, and they care deeply about the ongoing war.
MPs are also forced to endlessly, even childishly, chant slogans in the House of Commons instead of raising important issues for their communities. CPC MPs describe a point system, where the more often they recite Pierre Poilievre’s slogans, the more time they are allotted in the House of Commons. But even then, they must recite the slogans in the questions they ask or in the debates they make on the floor of the House of Commons.
Pierre Poilievre is running to be the next Prime Minister of Canada. Under his autocratic leadership, one wonders who he would select to be his Cabinet Ministers and whether they would be allowed to perform their duties. Would the Minister of Labour be allowed to give voice to the protection of workers against the Conservative party’s big corporate donors? Would his Environment Minister be required to back the interests of Pierre’s oil and gas supporters to the detriment of our fragile, threatened environment?
CPC members say they are censured by a leader who claims he will make Canada “the freest country in the world.” What is free about a country in which represented leaders cannot stand and be heard?
One thing I know is that my party is at its best when we connect with our communities. It is those connections that drive what we do. It is unfortunate that my CPC colleagues cannot say the same.
Viviane Lapointe is the MP for Sudbury.
