Stop downgrading the role of Parliament

If we want to restore trust in Parliament then we need to restore the role of MPs as representatives sent by their constituents to exercise their best judgment and experience for the public good. This means their loyalty is not to the party leader, but to the broader public interest.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Global Affairs' Steve Verheul, the negotiator of the new NAFTA deal, pictured Feb. 18, 2020, before the House International Trade Committee to talk about the new NAFTA agreement. The process for ratification of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) or new NAFTA, by the Commons Committee on International Trade, is a good example of how the role of MPs and Parliament itself have been diminished or marginalized, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Opinion

BY DAVID CRANE

March 9, 2020

TORONTO—Our democratic system is in trouble, with MPs seen as out of touch with public needs and ineffective in dealing with public problems. One reason for this is the downgrading of the role of Parliament itself and the diminished role of individual MPs in shaping legislation or holding governme...

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