You may recognize the name Andrew Coyne. Andrew is one of Canada’s most respected political thinkers having spent time with the Financial Post, the Globe and Mail, National Post and Macleans. For nearly 20 years, he has been a long-time member of a political panel called At Issue with CBC.
Andrew has recently published a book titled “The Crisis of Canadian Democracy” and it is a good read for anyone politically inclined. In his book, he speaks of the behaviour of some elected officials in Canada. He speaks of it as “…braying, catcalling, heckling witlessly, shaking their jowls… a kind of behaviour that no self-respected person would engage in…”
Mr. Coyne attributes some of this behaviour to the televising and streaming of political bodies in action and also attributes some of it to a newly established culture that is manifesting itself in Canada (and lead by the United States) due to partisanship or divisiveness.
Codes of conduct policies and bylaws at the municipal level have helped curb this in Canada; however, one wonders whether the success of these catcalling approaches (which are being touted as successful tactics), will quickly move into the school boards and municipal councils in a more open manner after the municipal election in 2025. While there have been numerous known cases of council member misconduct in Alberta over the years, one wonders if there is a worsening trend in Canada. Andrew Coyne, in his book, states emphatically that worsening behaviour is growing in Canadian political institutions and that heckling is becoming part of the culture and heckling is not simply one-offs. And while we have had our own situations here in Alberta over the years, a few months ago, a town mayor in Illinois, at a meeting, became involved in a physical altercation, where the mayor and her boyfriend became involved in a brawl.
There are reports in Alberta that the Code of Conduct Bylaws have not been enforced by some councils as much as they should have been, while there are other reports indicating that these same bylaws are being used to muffle and stifle some members of council. All of this can, of course, be true at the same time. And in the past 4 years, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and additionally the courts, have had to weigh in on some matters in Alberta.
As municipal councils and school boards are finding their footing in November after the October election, let’s hope that the codes of conduct that members will agree to will indeed be that creed that does not decay into the catcalling and heckling that Mr. Coyne refers to. We now have the potential of party politics in Edmonton and Calgary with new legislation, which may lead to some partisanship in the future that may not have been contemplated in the past. There has been some support for this legislation, and equally, some opposition from many.
Regardless of where this stands coming out of the election, let’s hope that the school boards and municipal councils are able to stay above the fray in this regard and simply follow the codes that are intended to reinforce decency and mutual self-respect. But let’s not hold our breaths. After all we will elect some hecklers in October.
And that, folks, is how it should really work.
