In the movie, Brewster’s Millions, Monty Brewster (played by Richard Pryor) has to spend $30 million in 30 days in order to inherit $300 million. Sounds easy enough, but there was a catch – Brewster could not possess any assets at the end of his spend-a-thon.
Brewster used creative ways to spend the loot. He bought an expensive collector’s stamp, put it on an envelope and mailed it. He even ran for mayor of New York City. He bought billboards, newspaper ads and television commercials to advertise his campaign slogan, “None of the above.” The other candidates running for mayor were corrupted scoundrels. Given the circumstances, voting for none of the above was the only plausible alternative.
The federal political landscape is starting to look a lot like the fictional battle for the mayor’s chair in Brewster’s Millions. The scandal that’s embroiling the Conservatives proves the adage that absolute power corrupts absolutely. The Senator Mike Duffy debacle, that implicates the Prime Minister’s Office, shows just how high up the scandal goes. Nigel Wright, who was Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s chief of staff at the time, cut a $90,000 cheque to Duffy to help him pay improperly claimed living expenses.
Then, the Senate’s internal economy committee, which is dominated by Conservatives, whitewashed an audit that originally showed Duffy broke the rules when he declared his Prince Edward Island cottage as his primary residence and noted that he refused to cooperate with independent auditors. Corruption, cover-up and lies all continue as the prime minister watches from the sidelines.
NDP leader Thomas Mulcair has also shown himself to be incredibly adept at the art of buffoonery. The leader of the Official Opposition went down to Washington, D.C. in March and did his best to derail the Keystone XL pipeline – a project that is not only critical to Alberta’s, but Canada’s economic interests. He slammed Canada’s environmental record and said the Canadian government has to “stop playing people for fools.” He added, just in case there was any doubt about his competency, Keystone would allow for the export of 40,000 jobs.
Not to be outdone, Justin Trudeau once again showed Canadians why casting a vote for none of the above makes perfect sense. The Liberal leader, in defending the very existence of the Senate, argued Canada should keep the Senate because it gives his home province of Quebec a big advantage over Alberta and British Columbia. “We have 24 senators from Quebec and there are just six from Alberta and six from British Columbia. That’s to our advantage,” Trudeau said. This is the guy who wants to be Canada’s next prime minister?
In Brewster’s Millions, the electorate did indeed end up voting for none of the above, which forced another election with none of the candidates running for office again. The slate was wiped clean. But that kind of thing only happens in Hollywood. This is Canada, and instead of “none of the above,” we get to vote for “more of the same.”
