Last week, the House of Commons engaged in a fiasco so utterly idiotic it defies logic SA国际影视传媒� and shows we need to make a fundamental change to preserve our democracy.
During Ukrainian President Volodomyr ZelenskySA国际影视传媒檚 visit to Canada, now-former speaker of the house Anthony Rota introduced an outspoken Waffen SS Nazi collaborator, age 98. The entire house, from Conservatives to New Democrats, rose to applause the man, apparently not doing the math that would put the individual they were applauding quite squarely on the opposite side of history.
The one saving grace of this debacle is it shows stupidity is clearly cross-partisan. As every party rose to applaud in earnest, none can claim any level of moral superiority, regardless of what the parties may argue.
Regardless, itSA国际影视传媒檚 obvious people didnSA国际影视传媒檛 do their homework.
ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 a popular notion our politicians arenSA国际影视传媒檛 quite the models of leadership they used to be. Nonsense like this can definitely be considered evidence said notion is correct. Voters are left either having to hold their nose and pick the least awful option or join the cult-like mentality that one party is the sole moral compass and all others want to SA国际影视传媒� or have the means to SA国际影视传媒� transform our country into some terrifying dystopia. With social media allowing politicians to bypass journalists and speak directly to their supporters SA国际影视传媒� often fanning peopleSA国际影视传媒檚 ignorance and claiming journalists are part of a conspiracy against them SA国际影视传媒� elections are increasingly reduced to mud-slinging fests won by the most salacious, spreadable rumour and with little attention given to how we want government to actually operate or what its priorities should be. Winning elections mainly requires you to have lots of SA国际影视传媒渇riendsSA国际影视传媒� and lots of money.
All this creates the circumstances for politicians who donSA国际影视传媒檛 have a shred of practical knowledge to run for and win office, and then make poorly informed decisions on our behalf. How do we fix this before itSA国际影视传媒檚 too late?
ISA国际影视传媒檓 a big fan of saying the buck stops with the voter, but expecting voters to fix democracy by rejecting every unqualified politician who comes their way is unrealistic. Voters barely have enough time to compare platforms and read candidate profiles these days.
If we want our leaders to do their homework, they need something to study for. Politicians should be required to complete a comprehensive competency exam before they are allowed to put their name forward for election. This exam should focus on key basics we expect from our leaders like understanding of important historical tragedies to Canadians such as the Second World War or the Residential School System. Leaders should at least understand fundamental concepts we expect normal people to know by the time they finish high school, such as the laws of physics, how populations grow exponentially, the germ theory, math and reading comprehension. Only then should they be allowed to face voters.
To ensure there is no political favouritism, this exam should be written by an independent group that would advise Elections departments. That group should have representatives from academia, Indigenous groups, historical societies, urban planners and other stakeholders.
Requiring politicians to write a pre-election exam would at least force them to realize how important these issues are.
Right now only the privileged are able to run for office and it shows.
