Unknown to practically everybody, including voters in Ontario, where 18 candidates are trying their luck in ThursdaySA国际影视传媒檚 provincial election, is the Consensus Ontario party.

I suppose it was only a matter of time before some enterprising soul would turn a jaundiced eye northward in search of political inspiration. And why not? The guy most likely to win the election justified banning golf during Covid last year because he figured people would drink too much beer between holes. Such is the state of politics in our nationSA国际影视传媒檚 largest province.

So really, it was only a matter of time before someone would dust off consensus government and present it as salvation to an electorate exhausted by a political party system promising nothing but more of the same.

ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 a Consensus Canada as well. It all seems to be the brainchild of one fellow, Brad Harness. I have no idea what he knows about the Northwest Territories or Nunavut, or whether heSA国际影视传媒檚 ever been here. But he has taken the muskox as their mascot, becauseSA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚n the North, muskox act by consensus SA国际影视传媒� bums in towards the centre of the defensive circle SA国际影视传媒� to look out for one another. We felt that a fitting icon for our new political party,SA国际影视传媒� Consensus CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 websiteSA国际影视传媒檚 mission statement reads.

Something tells me they didnSA国际影视传媒檛 catch the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 last budget vote, but I digress.

And itSA国际影视传媒檚 a touch ironic that in presenting themselves as non-party politics theySA国际影视传媒檙e calling themselves a political party. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 like an old Seinfeld joke. SA国际影视传媒淟etSA国际影视传媒檚 start a political party, except with us there wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be a party. That will impress the plebes.SA国际影视传媒�

ISA国际影视传媒檓 not sure what ISA国际影视传媒檇 say if we were ever to meet up and discuss. There are, no doubt, political systems across the country that leave something to be desired. Our experience with Covid-19 and politicians spinning themselves backwards trying to explain ever-evolving edicts these past two years has only amplified the disconnect.

Nothing stands out more than last yearSA国际影视传媒檚 federal election SA国际影视传媒� the most important SA国际影视传媒渋n our lifetimes,SA国际影视传媒� the prime minister said SA国际影视传媒� which, of course, produced a result few particularly liked and left the nation more divided than ever.

It often seems weSA国际影视传媒檝e been left with nothing more than competing hashtags. Party leaders donSA国际影视传媒檛 say or do anything unless itSA国际影视传媒檚 politically advantageous to do so and their MPs donSA国际影视传媒檛 say anything at all.

No wonder thereSA国际影视传媒檚 so much apathy towards party politics in this country.

Not sure how to break it to Mr. Harness and his party-less party-kin though. Consensus government, unfortunately, is not the answer.

If Ontarians were to wake up election day with a sudden hankering for consensus government and then fill the Ontario legislature with Consensus Ontario MPPs, they would be immediately confronted with the same problem we Northerners face when we elect our MLAs.

That is, they all immediately become parties unto themselves after safely clearing the polls and then slam the door behind them after walking into caucus chambers to pick the premier and cabinet. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 not to say there are not good MLAs in our system but the system is not particularly good at advancing democracy, if thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what Consensus Ontario/Canada is trying to sell.

Our system makes it very difficult to advance a voter-driven agenda and to coalesce behind a leader who is accountable to voters. We elect individuals MLAs, who, without party affiliation, can make promises but are rarely in a position to deliver on them, who then vote for a premier and cabinet AFTER the election.

Consensus Ontario claims that this is a good thing. I suppose it is if you want more horse trading and MLAs undercutting one another behind closed doors, but I donSA国际影视传媒檛 see how consensus is any better at carrying out the will of voters.

The lack of party solidarity also makes our system very difficult to change.

ISA国际影视传媒檒l note Nicole Latour, the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 previous chief electoral officer who was suspended before the end of her term last year, made 61 recommendations in her report following the 2019 territorial election, one of them recommending that residents should be able to vote directly for the premier in subsequent elections.

MLAs wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 even talk about it when the Legislative AssemblySA国际影视传媒檚 Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures met to discuss her report in 2020.

Consensus government is certainly good for MLAs looking out SA国际影视传媒渇or one another,SA国际影视传媒� as Consensus CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 muskox mascot suggests. Unfortunately, consensus is no better at looking out for citizens than party politics is.

Oh well. From the Northwest Territories, good luck in tomorrowSA国际影视传媒檚 election, you consensus crusaders!