In a recent commentary aired on News Talk 650 CKOM, Trost said other western democracies such as Britain and the United States are mature enough to have more vigorous debates within parties.
“Contrast that to Canada, where party discipline is ironclad,” Trost said. “If everyone in a party thinks the same on every issue, not a lot of thinking is going on.”
In an interview with The StarPhoenix on Monday, Trost said he isn’t worried about the consequences of speaking out.
“(Prime Minister Stephen Harper) knows I have a different viewpoint than he does. He respects that. I respect he has a different viewpoint,” Trost said.
“I’ve been an MP approaching eight years now. I’m not the sort of one that looks over my shoulder 24/7 . . . I don’t sweat that stuff.”
Trost said he admires politicians of all stripes who have voted according to their conscience or the will of residents in their ridings, rather than blindly following the national party line.
“We need to have a cultural change. I think it would relax everybody,” Trost said. “The (party) whip needs to have less authority over members.”
University of Saskatchewan political studies Prof. David McGrane said Trost is correct, but wonders whether Harper will tolerate Trost’s increasing rebelliousness on issues such as abortion, the Indian Act and democratic reform.
“All the research on this topic would back up Mr. Trost, (but) is this a good move to make?” McGrane said.
“It takes a lot of courage, but the repercussions can be swift. Prime minister Harper does act against people who disagree with him.”
McGrane said studies have shown increasing concentrations of power by every prime minister since Pierre Trudeau. Harper’s office now has unprecedented influence over party MPs, he said.
This lack of democracy was criticized by the Conservatives’ forerunner, the Reform party, when it was created, but Harper has “turned his back on that, largely,” McGrane said.
Some MPs who are ejected from a party fail to take supporters with them, but others are successful. Trost could make it difficult for Harper to take action against him if he positions himself as a potential “martyr for democracy.”
Trost said he’s “kicking around” the idea of introducing a private member’s bill on the topic, but realizes he faces an uphill battle.
“Democratic reform items are difficult to get through,” he said.
The last person to represent Saskatoon-Humboldt was Jim Pankiw, who was ejected from the Conservative caucus for his outspoken views, which often clashed with the official party position. Pankiw ran as an Independent and lost his re-election bid.
Neither Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar MP Kelly Block, who serves as Saskatchewan Conservative caucus chair, nor a spokesperson at the Conservative party’s Ottawa headquarters, was available for comment late Monday afternoon.
Original Article
Source: the star phoenix
Author: Jason Warick
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