This past week, our MP announced that “it isn’t up to backbenchers like himself to call for an open and transparent investigation into an allegation that former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould was pressured by the Prime Minister’s Office to help SNC-Lavalin avoid criminal prosecution…”
This is very troubling to read, because if our direct link to Parliament does not have the confidence in his voice to take on the leader of his party, who will stand up for Guelph?
The issue of going against one’s party is complicated and typically hurts an MP’s ability to move forward within government; not every MP has the strength of conviction like Michael Chong or Wayne Long. I don’t have an issue with Guelph’s MP not wanting to break ranks with every issue that comes up, but I have a very big issue that he believes that a backbencher should not stand up for what is right.
Wayne Long – a backbencher himself – did not rush to judgement to convict the government without cause, but properly spoke up to advance an investigation to ensure Canadians get answers. Advancing public discourse, finding truth and basing decisions off fact is exactly the type of thing a backbencher should be doing. Backbenchers need to be able to hold government accountable for their actions as that is the job they signed up for. It is the job they were elected to do.
Who will stand up for Guelph if our representative believes that it is someone else’s job to ensure the government is being held accountable? Guelph needs a leader and we are not going to find it in our current MP.
Guelph deserves a representation that will hold the government accountable and bring a strong voice of leadership back to Guelph.
Backbencher or Minister – an elected representative needs to be confident and strong in their convictions.
Submitted by Derek Matisz
Lead photo from: https://www.conservative.ca/
*Quote from Guelph’s MP is taken from the following article: https://www.guelphtoday.com/
