As to the issue of how these results were arrived at: 39.5% of votes produced 184 seats, 31.9% 99 seats, 19.7% 44 seats, 4.7% 10 seats and 3.4% of votes delivered only one seat respectively, with a 68.5% voter participation rate.
Of course, those who are trying to make sense of the aforementioned results, couldn't find any, aside from, "that's how the parliamentary seats have always been calculated, ever since 1867."
Apparently, that's good enough for many. And when asked how they feel about the calculus of the voting process, they just shrug and say that, "Well, it's not my role to judge."
Probably that's why the newly elected, reform-minded PM Justin Trudeau, during the election campaign, has promised to change the electoral system from the age-old first-past-the-post to something that is potentially more fair and realistic.
However, according to some of the editorial writers: "there is no evidence our voting system is broken." Moreover, the ranked ballot system is said to be favoured by the newly elected PM "because it ensures every vote counts."
One would think that by now all the excitement should have evaporated and the remaining members of the new Official Opposition would have accepted the "voter's verdict." But it ain't happening. Obviously, they cannot forgive or forget the loss of their prestigious, social-political power and status, cum opulent lifestyle – formerly reserved only for rulers – and promise that they regroup under a new leader and that they'll be back. And who can blame them for not giving up easily. After all, that's about the only office whose occupants, apart from "party-loyalty", don't require much credentials, if any – according to cynics.
Out with the Old, in with a New System of Governance – or Is It?
Now that this country's electorate, much to the surprise of many, has once again put an end to the previous regime's decade-long rule – noted for their austerity, budget/service/tax-cutting, deregulatory, devolutionist, ill-advised policies, combined with a stay-the-course, "damn the torpedoes" mentality – some believe that it is high time for the newly elected federal government leadership to consider establishing an "Economic Council" as described in the previous blog article titled "Quo Vadis Canada?" as a pre-election, 10 point "Public Wish List." Let alone of forming a Coalition Government as a declaration of inclusivity and power-sharing.This government's potential legitimization of an Economic Council – due to its tripartite composition, namely corporations/business, government and labour/employees – would be an all inclusive, welcome and clear, albeit not the first historic manifestation of democratic governance in action. The lacking attribute in the current socio-econo-political system – in the view of many.
In this context, there are numerous areas wherein expertly counsel of such tripartite Economic Council would right now be a welcome relief to some cabinet ministers of this government, as they are confronted with many long-neglected/ignored, crucial and debilitating socio-econo-enviro-fiscal issues, namely:
- Economic Stagnation – some say caused by politics of appeasement – evidenced by the deindustrialized/asymmetrical/dysfunctional roller-coaster economy, relegated to:
- Offering to export unprocessed minerals, fossil fuels, lumber and agricultural/dairy products, hardly saleable even at break-even-point prices – due to a worldwide economic slump/overproduction; and
- Importing all consumer goods and manufactured products – and paying exploitively low prices in the process – from remotely located low-wage paying countries and thereby:
- Accumulating astronomical sums of profits/"dead money" as a result of the FTAs, with very little benefits, if any, to this country's economy, consumers and the public purse;
- Adding a huge magnitude of air/ocean/waterway/land pollution in the process of transportation, thereby further exacerbating the world's environmental problems;
- Undermining current/future generations' industrial/manufacturing faculties/culture; and
- Due to an unstable geopolitical situation, endangering the existence of this country.
- Poverty, and near-poverty-line conditions, due to unduly low-wage-paying policies, sanctioned by the econo-political establishment. Antithetical to the principles of a "market driven economic system" whose lifeline is a country of wall-to-wall, cash/credit-worthy consumers.
- Affordable housing shortage, created by inappropriate, or lack of, socio-econo-fiscal concerns, standards/policies/control, making home ownership a privilege in the process.Although an unfortunate phenomenon that, by the way – if the methodology were planned well – would lend itself to a huge opportunity to restart the economy and generate a series of activities in the process, as follows:
- In the R&D/design sector, the development of an efficient/affordable housing construction technology to suit the needs of moderate/low-income segments of society;
- In the housing construction and associated supply industries, it means new business/employment potential; and
- In the financial sector, facilitating home-ownership – through a government assisted mortgage program – the poverty rate would be significantly lowered, as people of moderate/low-income would be able to "build equity", instead of living in government subsidized rental housing compounds.
- Unacceptable rate of under-employment/unemployment, an unnecessary and relatively easy to remedy phenomena, the upshot of econo-political oversight, lack of planning, and indifferent governmental policies – could be fixed on the basis of proffers, that have been shared with four subsequent provincial and federal governments.
- Income tax cuts, favoured and frequently offered incentive, however often enough do not stimulate significant enough consumer spending, particularly among the majority of the public, namely the "low-income earning" masses, who pay very little or no taxes at all, to have any measurable dynamic effects on the economy.
What's with this Country? What's with its New Political Leadership?
Has anyone wondered about, why this country – populated with well-qualified human resources and endowed with a wide variety of natural resources – seems incapable to formulate and implement a comprehensive socio-econo-fiscal program for the benefit of all 36 million plus of its population? A program aimed at alleviating and ultimately resolving the aforementioned debilitating issues. Critics claim even the new leadership is frightened of "deficit spending".
Fearful of Deficit Spending? Well, Fear No More!
In the opinions of notable academics and others in the know: governments as a "sector" – just like business as a sector – contrary to some highly propagandized myth, can borrow as long as the spending produces a significant volume of reasonably well-paid employment opportunities, growth in productive public assets, GDP and corresponding tax revenue. Due to its built-in "multiplier" effects, the process enables governments to repay their debts related to deficit spending through the method of fair and progressive taxation. One might add that without the latter defined ways and means the business sector would have been greatly limited, and even stopped in its pattern of growth.
Austerity too has an innate multiplier effect, though a negative one; resulting in a downward spiral – according to the same academic sources.
Admittedly, there are others – such as financial organizations – who object to deficit spending. Their somewhat legitimate concern is that international credit rating agencies may downgrade the country's/provinces'/municipalities' credit worthiness as a result of excessive, non-productive deficit spending.
Therein lies the imperative for having a tripartite representation – business/employer, government, labour/employees – in the course of securing an all-inclusive decision-making process, whereby all sectors of society are equitably represented and eventually make the right call, based on serving the interests of the public vs. trying to avoid at all costs getting downgraded from an AAA to an AA status.
What's Holding Back This Country?
Apparently, in the views of some insiders, it's this country's rigid 21st century socio-econo-fiscal and political structure, and its medieval protocol that is holding back this country from effectively functioning for the benefit of all its citizenry.A Protocol of "Welcome" for Business Lobbyists; and a "Keep-Out" for Veteran Problem-Solvers!
In spite of their lack of success to deal with the aforementioned problems, elements of the econo-political leadership are unwilling to take the time to listen to the veritable proposals/solutions produced by veteran problem-solvers. In fact, the latter group have been not only ignored, but discredited by the gatekeepers of the system. At the same time, business lobbyists are having a field day as they loudly walk freely in and out of the cabinet ministerial offices and virtually dictate/write government policies.
As a result, many tens of billions of dollars value of innovative ideas, systems and business opportunities never see the light of day each year. These have the innate capacity to re-energize the economy, improve the lives of millions and even balance the budget.
Memorandum
In case this new federal government and others – the media included – find themselves shorthanded and at one point decide on espousing an "open door protocol" toward a few living veteran socio-econo-fiscal problem solvers, their message is loud and clear:
All five of this country's aforementioned major problems can be resolved, and they are ready to oblige.
Food for Thought
- There are some in the hierarchy who cautioned that the best thing to do about the faltering economy – incredibly – is to wait and "let the system repair itself."
- Apparently, abolishing slavery in some countries was initiated by the realization that there were not enough "independent consumers". Something the establishment might consider reflecting upon.
- Very often politicians are misled by lobbyists and "professional naysayers" who make bogus claims, e.g. that raising the "minimum wage", or "paying living wage", etc. would result in business closures and the loss of tens of thousands of jobs. Or, "deficit spending" leads to econo-fiscal fiasco. There should be a sign on every cabinet minister's desk: "Only scientifically/mathematically verified claims will be considered for discussion."
- Homelessness is a difficult problem to solve, according to many. Not according to the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They decided to train and employ the homeless at the Public Works Department. Now the once homeless are off the streets, off the welfare role, work for a liveable wage, receive benefits, and live independently. City mayors take note!
- Some suggest that governments should farm out certain public service operations to private enterprise. They claim that it would cost less for the taxpayers. Others say, that when counting all factors, the markup included in the overall amount – not including the social costs – may prove to be more expensive.
- Interesting random questions from Main Street:
- If Waterloo region is the cleverest community of all – as it has been declared a few years ago – why have this country's most crucial socio-econo-enviro-fiscal problems not yet already been resolved?
- Knowing that the municipal water supply is typically contaminated with chemicals, pathogens and poisonous substances, why are scientists, engineers and technologists not developing and manufacturing purification systems, to be applied at the waterworks and/or at the point of use?
- When is the establishment going to realize that Canada – all considering – should have a fully diversified economy, applying all the country's wide range of human and natural resources for the benefit of all?
- What is the purpose of driving labour wages down and thereby undercutting the purchasing power of the consumer society?
- Corporations complain that they cannot pay decent wages any longer and provide benefits to their employees. How come, just in Canada alone, they have accumulated over $600 billion of profit in just a few years?
- As corporations continue to outsource production to low-wage countries, leaving behind a massive unemployment in this country, where are they going to sell their products?
- Do governments have the right to ignore/reject veritable/realistic/affordable solutions to major socio-econo-fiscal problems, offered by outsiders "in the know"? And, does the public have a legal recourse? Some say that the realization of the "pecking order" provides them immunity.
Must Reads for Every Socio-Econo-Fiscal and Political Officeholder
- "The Only Game in Town", Central Banks, Instability and Avoiding the Next Collapse, by Dr. Mohamed A. El-Erian – former Deputy Director at IMF, and CEO of the Harvard Management Company – "explains how and why (the US) central banks became the critical policy actors, and why they cannot continue in this role alone."
- "The Economic Problem", "Understanding Microeconomics", and "Understanding Macroeconomics", by Dr. Robert L. Heilbroner, Professor of Economics.
