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Copyright 2020 by Preston Manning
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First edition, February 2020
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Manufactured in the United States
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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Title: Do something! : 365 ways you can strengthen Canada / Preston Manning.
Names: Manning, Preston, 1942-author.
Description: Includes index.
Identifiers: Canadiana 20200154575 | ISBN 9781989555255 (softcover)
Subjects: LCSH: Political participationCanada. | LCSH: Social participationCanada. | LCSH: Canada
Politics and government21st century.
Classification: LCC JL186.5 .M36 2020 | DDC 323/.0420971dc23
ISBN 978-1-989555-25-5
DEDICATION
Among all those whose lives are affected by the processes and institutions of democracy in Canada, there is a group of unsung heroes who deserve recognition and appreciation above and beyond what it is humanly possible to convey by words alone.
That group is composed of the wives, husbands, partners, children, and grandchildren of those who are democratically elected to public office, be it the parliament of Canada, the legislatures of the provinces and territories, or local municipal councils.
The holders of public office too often find themselves missing in action when it comes to the home life and needs of their loved ones, called away time and time again by public business, missing birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and other special occasions, distracted by public worries and political pressures even when physically present, and exposing the family to scrutiny and abuse by opponents and hostile media from which family members have no means of defending themselves.
In my case, this band of unsung heroes includes my dear wife Sandra, our childrenAndrea, Avryll, Mary Joy, Nathan, and Davidand our twelve grandchildren.
It is to them, and the members of all the other political families of which they are representative, that this book on strengthening democracy and conservatism in Canada is respectfully dedicated.
Preston Manning
Calgary, Alberta
January, 2020
FOREWORD
Can we merge the politician and the citizen, into a single category: the politician-citizen or the citizen-politician? In other words, can we have a person who even when active, and a national leader in the political arena, retains the instincts and idealism of a citizen? That is my reckoning of Preston Manning. He was always tethered to fundamental ideasideas of our democracy, a bedrock notion of real citizenshipeven as he exercised leadership in the House of Commons. Not incidentally, he was and is a high example of that civility so many now report as missing in Canadian politics.
In this new work Mr. Manning is back, or still at what he was always about. Going to the core of our system of government. Emphasizing citizen involvement. Reinforcing the need for thought in politics. He is also writing during a time in Canadian politics when disenchantment with how our system runs deep, and the engagement of citizens from politics is at a disastrously low ebb.
Do Something! is Mannings imperative of a title. It signals his sense of urgency but the arguments and illustrations of what could and should be done are both practical and genuinely encouraging. He is a decent man with a fine mind and, oh Lord, how we need both.
Rex Murphy, 2020
INTRODUCTION
Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly. This, according to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, is one of our most basic democratic rights.
So how did Canadians exercise this basic right in the nine most recent elections held in 2018-19, including the federal election of October 21, 2019? The results are summarized below.
Ontario, June 7, 2018: Voter turnout was 57%. The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, led by populist Doug Ford, won a majority government with 76 of the 124 seats in the legislature. The NDP formed the official opposition. The Liberals, who formed the previous government, recorded the worst election result in their 161-year history, losing official party status.
New Brunswick, September 24, 2018: Voter turnout was 67%. Four parties won seats in the 49-seat legislature: 22 by the Progressive Conservatives; 21 by the Liberals; three each by the Peoples Alliance and the Greens, with the NDP failing to elect a single member. Former Liberal Premier Brian Gallant attempted to form a government but was defeated on a confidence vote. On November 9, Progressive Conservative leader Blaine Higgs was sworn in as premier with a minority government.
Quebec, October 1, 2018: Voter turnout was 66%. The Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) led by Francois Legault won a majority government with 74 of 125 seats, unseating the previous Liberal government. The Liberals, with 31 seats, became the official opposition. The Parti Quebecois and Quebec Solidaire each won 10 seats.
Alberta, April 16, 2019. Voter turnout was 64%. The United Conservative Party, led by Jason Kenney and formed by the union of the Wildrose and Progressive Conservative parties two years earlier, won a majority government with 63 seats in the 87-seat legislature. The previous NDP government won only 24 seats and was reduced to official opposition after only one term in office, experiencing the shortest term in office of any governing party in Albertas history.
Prince Edward Island, April 23, 2019: Voter turnout was 76%. The Progressive Conservative Party under Dennis King won 12 seats in the 27-seat legislature to form a minority government. The Greens won eight seats to form the Official Opposition. The previous Liberal government won only six seats with the Liberal leader losing his own seat, and the NDP failed to elect a single member.
Newfoundland and Labrador, May 16, 2019: Voter turnout was 61%. While the Progressive Conservative Party under leader Ches Crosbie led in the opinion polls by as much as 9 points, the governing Liberal Party led by Dwight Ball won re-election with 20 seats, one short of a majority in the 40-seat legislature. The Progressive Conservatives with fifteen seats form the official opposition. Three seats were won by the NDP and two by independents.
Manitoba, September 10, 2019: Voter turnout was 55%. The Progressive Conservative Party led by Brian Pallister won its second majority government with 36 seats in the 57-seat legislature. The NDP led by Wab Kinew retained its position as the official opposition with 18 seats, with the Liberals holding three seats.
Northwest Territories, October 1, 2019: Voter turnout was 54%. Nineteen MLAs, only four of them incumbents, were elected to the NWT legislature as independents. Nine of these were women, thus giving the NWT assembly the highest percentage of female representation of any Canadian legislature. Under the NWTs consensus government system, the MLAs select the premier, and Yellowknife MLA Caroline Cochrane was chosen to fill this position.
