So, one of the most interesting things about this coming parliament is the fact that close to one third of all MPs will be taking their seats for the first time. This is a big deal for a few specific reasons, but the big general one is that there are a whole bunch of people who have no experience with political custom, decorum, or the traditional workings of the machinery of government.
As we all know, the real work of the government is not done by elected MPs, but by the hundreds of thousands of civil service members who staff departments, provide recommendations, network with concerned parties, and implement the decisions taken by Parliament. When you have a third of MPs all meeting these civil service members for the first time, trying to learn their names, figure out who one should talk to about what (and who to avoid), you're set up for a slow start to government.
Now, an important distinction needs to be made here, which astute readers will have already thought to themselves: there is a huge qualitative difference between new Conservative MPs and new NDP ones. In the former case, there is a strong party apparatus with working relationships to the civil service reaching back at least years, a party culture of internal discipline and strict whipping, and a more unified, cohesive ideological vision than the latter's.
Really, the worst damage that rookie Conservative MPs can do to their party is embarrassment. Not to generalize, but young, rural MPs often have less experience speaking 'politically correct' Ottawese (Ottaois) than those from urban areas and those with experience in the national spotlight. It only takes one young MP to say something in front of the press that would pass without comment in Wildrose, AB but cause riots in St-Pierre, QC, to galvanize opposition to Mr. Harper's party in these newly-Blue areas.
For the NDP, however, the stakes are higher. Leur surge au Québec est important, mais il est évident qu'il ne s'agit pas forcément d'une 'nouvelle direction' pour le Québec, mais plutôt d'une vote 'contre' les structures politiques corrompues partout au Québec. Ça se voit chez la mairie de Montréal, dans l'état de nos infrastructures (et le coût de les remplacer), et dans la dialogue publique qui semble ignorer problèmes plus larges auxquels les québécois(e)s font face. Pour que le NPD puisse devenir le gouvernement, il faut s'impressionner aux gens du pays de sorte qu'on voit que le NPD c'est le parti qui va se battre à Ottawa dans notre intérêt.
Je vois un Québec qui prend charge, prend un leadership role, de l'amélioration du sort de tout canadien(ne), et non pas seulement ceux avec qui on partage la langue maternelle. Au Québec, l'idée d'être solidaire, de garder la foi quand entourée des gens qui s'y opposent- de soutenir les communautés et s'intéresser aux conditions des voisins- est à la base fondamentale de la société. Le Canada anglophone aurait besoin d'une telle esprit, d'une telle message, et au sein d'un parti national détenant d'une base solide partout au pays, le deux-tiers du NPD québécois(e) se trouve avec une très bonne opportunité de changer les termes du débat d'ici 2015.
The NDP simply have more to lose. Two-thirds of their MPs represent Quebec, and at least half of them will represent their constituents in French. The Quebec tradition of communities in solidarity working for the defence of shared values, heritage, and culture against liberalizing and homogenizing outside influences is a message that could have great pull in other areas in Canada, and there is a lot to be learned in English Canada from Quebec's history of oppression and re-invention. In four years, the NDP could completely reshape the national dialogue, making for a much clearer choice in 2015- a choice that could barely be articulated in 2011's polite society.
In Québec especially, it can be argued that the rise of the NDP is really a vote against the ossified political caste that has been much publicized recently as participants in a variety of corruption scandals touching construction, the Montréal metro mayors' offices. People want to end corruption in our government, and the only party which is not demonstrably corrupt won a whole bunch of ridings where even weeks ago they had no hope. This could well be a breath of fresh air.
If the rookie MPs can make friends, play nice, treat their colleagues of all parties with respect, and at every turn draw a contrast with the secretive, scripted Government, they could be an incredibly effective Opposition. If they throw up their hands at the size of the task in front of them, then they're not fit for government. It's all about attitude- if the NDP start playing the same old political games, they'll disappear as quickly as they arrived.
So, rookie MPs. A mixed blessing, but the potential is there- it only takes a culture of respect, honesty, openness, and fairness to change everything forever. Easier said than done, perhaps.
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