THUNDER BAY – Editorial – For the House of Commons, the lead questions, and the follow-up questions during Question Period are all about the 41st General Election. The Robo-calls scandal, or Robogate as it is being dubbed is currently under investigation by the RCMP and Elections Canada. What happened will come out. It is highly unlikely that it will come out in Parliament.
However what is happening is that important issues of the day have been shoved to the background as all the political parties attempt to make political points off of each other.
For example, when the House of Commons passed the Shannen’s Dream motion, it was a positive sign that all of the members of the House of Commons got it. The discussion from the Conservatives that they seek to have Aboriginal young people in Canada in a position to have a solid part in our country means that those young people need a solid education.
Robogate has taken interest in that issue off of the table and apparently off the radar screens of many parliamentarians. But it is worse than that. Here in Thunder Bay, Biwaase’aa is supporting the framework laid out by the Ministry of Educations “Aboriginal Policy Framework, 2007” across seven schools daily. In addition Biwaase’aa delivers nutritious snacks and lunch program, along with the after-school program.
The program is being defunded by the Minister of Northern Development and Aboriginal Affairs. Across Canada, programs to support Youth Centres across Canada are also coming under the axe.
It appears that in the Robogate Scandal, these important issues are being ignored, as the opposition seeks to gain a foothold on the Government.
The RCMP and Elections Canada will likely find more answers, and will get to the bottom of this mess faster than Parliament. Getting back to focusing on the more important issues of young people, education, and Canada’s future should be what Members of Parliament should be focusing their efforts on.
Likely for a growing number of Canadians, those issues are more important right now than all of the accusations and allegations.
James Murray
Chief Content Officer