I had backed a colleague in an internal election of my political party. I put many volunteer hours into his election.
Our side lost. The winning side stuffed the constituency board with its own people. No surprises: we would have done the same.
All of the sudden, I was free of all my political obligations. No more meetings. No more political maneuvers. No more drama. No more influence.
Political volunteers do get caught up in the drama of internal party politics to the point where they can look at a forest and see no trees. I was no different. After six years, I was given the freedom to step back, clear my mind, and evaluate what I had accomplished in my political volunteer work. I had many flashbacks in the next week or so. Here is an important flashback.
The Policy Convention
In my fourth political year, I was elected as our constituency representative at the annual party policy convention. My hard volunteer work had finally paid off. I was finally going to be able to use the influence I had been acquiring. I was excited.
Except I got sick and could not go. The alternate delegate went. When he returned, he gave his report of the policy convention. He said: “Our party believes in a strong environment” and “Our party believes in a balanced budget.” Nothing but platitudes.
I was thankful I did not go. It was expected that I would pick up my travelling expenses, which I was willing to pay for — to be influential. But to spend that money just to repeat platitudes? This was my first serious doubt about what I was accomplishing in politics.
Let’s analyze this policy convention a little closer.
· The party gathered about 300 party members together.
· These people were mostly strangers to each other.
· Their main qualification was their previous hard work for the party.
· Somehow this convention was supposed to generate useful policy to guide Canada to a better society.
· In one weekend.
How many volunteer hours went into this convention? How much party money and individual money went into this convention?
Here is what the convention really accomplished:
1. The party demonstrated democracy in action. Delegates spoke. Delegates voted. The media covered this convention to tell a favorable story to the rest of Canada. The party gained some credibility outside its membership.
2. Hard-working party members were rewarded with having an influential place in this policy convention. They had more satisfaction with being involved in politics.
3. Other party members would see how the party rewards its loyal workers. With continual or more effort, other workers would be encouraged to earn the same position later. They too could be of influence.
4. And there was likely some good socializing happening. Politics is a good place to network. One never knows the opportunities that appear because one is “out there.”
But did Canada move in a different or better direction because of this policy convention?
Not really. The convention mostly affirmed what the party leadership was already telling Canadians.
So why did the party go to this great expense of time and money to put on this convention? There must be some return on its investment, right?
I think I’ve already alluded to the reasons:
1) The convention helped the party appear more credible to the public.
2) Loyal party workers were rewarded for their previous efforts in winning elections for the party.
These reasons led to me thinking about the difference between “politics” and “governance.” I will elucidate on this paradox in future posts.
I backed the losing person in the internal party election. I was now in purgatory. After six years, I had lost all the influence I had built up.
I knew that I could have come back politically. If I stayed at the sidelines and cheered, eventually my time, talents, and experience would be useful again for the party. I could be forgiven. I could have been attending many political meetings again.
But I thought about all that influence I had lost. But you know what? After six years of many meetings, I never really had any.
Published on Medium 2023
Gaming Canada's Electoral System
