‘AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENT’ SHOULD BE REPLACED
There is a consensus, based on ample evidence, that authoritarianism is on the rise around the globe. Authoritarian leaders have taken hold in Russia, Brazil, India, Hungary and the United States, just to name a few.
The most authoritarian government in Canada, meanwhile, sits (actually does not sit often enough, hence the problem) on Hollis Street in Halifax. While many have made this point it bears repeating. Premier Stephen Mcneil’s actions and mannerisms display a ‘father know best’ arrogance and a creeping authoritarianism.
Evidence of his government’s top-down approach was evident it’s in first term. Take, for example, his war with the film industry. He criticized and ultimately decimated what was a bourgeoning film industry in Nova Scotia.
The evidence for canceling incentives that made Nova Scotia attractive to the industry was minuscule at best – ultimately Mcneil felt the industry was undeserving of public incentives. His government’s war with public sector unions is but another example of his domineering governing style.
His style and attitude nearly cost him his majority (if we had any effective opposition it would have) but he continues to govern as if he were returned in a landslide. The haughty attitude did not dissipate after his electoral humbling. The Mcneil Liberals have a one-seat majority (26-25 if you include the speaker) after former Liberal MLA Hugh Mackay became an independent. The results of the last election were truly razor thin – Sydney-whitney Pier Liberal MLA Derek Mombourquette beat his NDP challenger Madonna Doucette by 160 votes (3,656 to 3,496).
After the resignation of Mackay, one could say the Mcneil ‘majority’ rests on 160 votes. Glace Bay MLA Geoff Maclellan also had a much tighter race than expected. Mcneil was obviously a drag to Cape Breton Liberal candidates in the last election.
His authoritarian instincts have certainly been on display in the first six months of this year. The dismissal and seeming distain of calls for oversight committee hearings is truly worrying. Mcneil believes that the legislature and committees are not necessary for accountability because reporters have opportunities to ask a couple of questions during press conferences on COVID-19. While providing access to the press is vital to a functioning democracy so too are well-functioning legislative committees to hold government to account. He simply does not see the need for oversight.
The tone he displays when asked questions is troubling – his exasperation in answering basic questions is clearly on display and only a true partisan would not see it. His call to ‘stay the blazes home’, while celebrated in some circles, had an imperious quality to it.
Mcneil is now eager to open Nova Scotia to tourism from provinces (Ontario and Quebec) with the most daily new cases of COVID-19. Although overall case numbers have fallen the danger for spread remains. Perhaps he should tell those people to ‘stay the blazes home.’ This is not to suggest this province does not need tourist dollars but to simply point out that his policy inconsistency is only as notable as his arrogance.
He clearly has an iron grip on the Liberal Party in Nova Scotia and if he runs in the next election it would be wise for Nova Scotians to tell him to ‘stay the blazes home’ and vote his government out of office.
Darrell Kyte Boularderie