Wednesday, September 25, 2013

THE PLAINTIFF

Yesterday was a hectic day. But I listened to an interview on the  car radio with Michael Ignatieff who has just had a book published.  It's about his political experience.

Even before I knew who was talking, I guessed his identity.

His voice was light. No substance to it.  There was a  plaintiff note in the tone.

In general, I was little impressed  with his responses to the interviewer. But his last remark stuck with me.

He had acknowledged that running for  the office was "Of course about myself"  but he realised the night before the election, "it was about the people"

I thought ; a person has to be pretty  damned arrogant not to realize the significance of that admission.

After months of  talking and listening to people, , in the last hours of the campaign he discovered that the job was about service. It was not about satisfying a humungouse ego.

He was asking for the most important job in Canada; the Office of Prime Minister.

Millions of people's lives impacted by the  judgement of the person who holds that office.

And he didn't even have the political smarts to know what every elected official learns from the people we represent.  It's not about personal  fulfillment.

It's about making a difference.

But, how would he know?

 What tempering had he had?

 Why did he imagine his experience in the  hallowed halls of learning  would serve him  adequately  in the political arena?

What  respect did he have for the Office he was seeking?

Pshaw! 

What a fool ? 

As were those who chose him. 

The same who chose Justin Trudeau.

For similar  specious  reasoning.

They think he might be like his father.

They don't know the truth of his father. 

He didn't respect politics either. 

It was that lack that allowed him to focus on his single objective .To bring home the Constitution.

No-one else could have accomplished that. 

And for that he will be remembered. 

A true Icon.