"I
believe that reasonable limits on individual, corporate, and union
contributions to political parties is a worthy objective, especially
if we are to remedy widespread public cynicism about the interrelationship
between private contributions and public policy.
"However, I can not believe that there
is any realistic possibility that the government would provoke a
caucus revolt and trigger a general election over this issue by
bringing forward legislation before it has created a democratic
consensus amongst Canadians and MPs.
"Liberals recognise that we have a duty
to be patriots before we are partisans, and it would be unthinkable
for us to impose our internal divisions upon an unwilling public
through a premature and unnecessary election. Moreover, the government
could hardly go to the people because of a declared inability to
govern its caucus, and still ask the people to trust it to govern
the nation.
"I believe that the key to managing this
unusually long leadership transition is to ground ourselves in the
first principle of politics: that ethically, political office must
be a means towards an end and not an end in itself. That the Liberal
Party might not be able to unite around a single personality over
the next year will be of no consequence if we unite around a common
set of ideas and policies. In the context of a rightfully emboldened
backbench, however, if such a common agenda is to be real, let alone
cohesive, it must be built in concert with Members of Parliament
rather than dictated to them.
"The alternative would be the spectacle
of a party that might remain formally in office but that would be
effectively out of power."
www.Maharaj.ca
For interviews, please contact:
David Zurawel
Akaash Maharaj Campaign
(416) 413 4743
david.zurawel@maharaj.ca
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