As election looms, a full-time pursuit of the trivial takes over federal politics

The instances of seat-of-the-pants management and failure to anticipate change are so numerous, they raise a pertinent question: can our parliamentary system serve the deepest, most urgent, needs of the population?
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, former ambassador Dominic Barton, and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet all grabbed headlines last week in time-wasting controversies, writes Susan Riley. Welcome to Ottawa, where every disagreement ends up as ammunition for someone.

CHELSEA, QUE.—Are our elected leaders capable of fixing systemic problems? Or, must we always wait for the lame explanations that inevitably follow serious government break-downs—explanations that usually amount to “years of chronic underfunding,” battles between war...

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