The Big Picture
The cycle happens over and over again. Left wing governments pass all sorts of legislation to keep businesses from running rampant over the environment, the population, and society in general. These rules build in volume, twisting and twining around each other, until they become masses of red tape so thick nobody can get anything done. Including, eventually, governments. Finally, we decide to do something about it.
What Should Happen?
Well, to keep the metaphor going, the tape needs to be untangled. Somebody should wade in there and tidy up the various strands that apply to every jurisdiction, and combine them all into a tidy list of predictable, clear, rules. But that is a very complicated and expensive task and provides very little political payback.
The Reality
Right wing governments get their turn and use the situation to take more power to themselves so they can make the decisions they want to make and chop through the red tape, ignoring the validity of the restrictions. A company can make a lot of money if the specific rules holding them back suddenly disappear, but everyone else is still hampered.
Summer is a good time to introduce legislation you don’t want the people to look at too closely. Let’s see how democracy is faring in three different arenas this month.
BC NDP
David Eby’s Bill 7, touted as a “Tariff Response Act,” is supposed to remove trade barriers and facilitate cross-country use of goods and services. Very nice. However, tucked in there among the red tape-cutting was Part 4, which gave broad emergency powers to Cabinet. Since this is the Left Coast, a great deal of resistance arose, and that section has been withdrawn for further review. (Read, “that didn’t work; let’s see what we can really get away with.”) It will be interesting to see what they end up getting.
Federal Liberals
Canada’s CEO Mark Carney has passed a Major Projects bill, which is supposed to allow cabinet the power to decide which regulations apply and which do not on major projects that the Powers that Be decide are good for the country. Which is a blueprint for cronyism at least, corruption quite possible, and fascism at worst.
In the Long Run
One can’t help but pair this legislation with the slow slide of power to the Prime Minister’s Office, making the proper term “Henry VIII Legislation.” We shouldn’t trust anybody. These are politicians we’re talking about, remember?
USA
I don’t have to tell you anything about their latest legislation. Once again, it has all sorts of right-wing promises, and the Democrats were facing an uphill battle trying to remind a summertime populace the amount of power it gives to the office of the President.
The Bottom Line
It’s pretty much accepted in our society that when you’re fighting a war, a strong hierarchy acts faster, responds faster, and makes decisions more forcefully. We are in what we hope will remain limited to a trade war, and leaders of all parties seem to find it difficult to see past that dangerous, slippery slope of expedience.
Every generation has to fight for its freedom, and this one is no different.