As an employee of an MPP as well as a staunch critic of partisan politics, I tend to see both the advantages and disadvantages associated with political parties. While parties do provide the service of political socialization and organizing the political system, they are also the reason why our representatives so often get caught up in ‘playing politics’. Thus, political parties simultaneously bring us together while pulling us apart.
Political parties are not inherently a bad thing. Unfortunately it seems though that especially in the Canadian system, they are being applied this way. Rather that providing a haven for politically like-minded individuals to pursue their shared agenda, more and more we see political parties becoming overrun by fights and feuds of no consequence to public policy or the average Canadian citizen. For example, Question Period is meant to provide the opposition with the opportunity to ensure that their constituents are being properly represented. However, anyone who has watched more than a few minutes of Question Period will no doubt be quite aware that this is not what is actually taking place.
Beyond the endless and pointless bickering, political parties also manage to spend an unbelievable amount of money in their unending pursuit of partisan superiority. Ultimately, it is this motive in which the problem lies. The primary goal of the political party has become power, not the representation of the electorate which bestows it upon them. Unfortunately it seems there is little we can do. Our system is based upon their existence and that is never going to change, so the best we can is try and make sure our voices are heard. Political parties: we know we’re stuck with them, but that doesn’t mean we have to like them.
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