I suspect many of you will disagree with me, but I for one am not pleased to see Andre Marin reappointed as Ontario's Czar - I mean 'Ombudsman'. Simply stated, I believe it usurps the power and role of the Member of Parliament.
The concept of Ombudsman is not in itself a bad idea. Someone who knows the intricacies of the bureaucracy and can help individuals navigate it when other sources of help have failed - e.g. their own initiative or assistance from their MPP.
But as with all Czars - power tends to corrupt and from modest beginnings, their Empires are built.
If Marin and his ilk stuck to basics - in Marin's case helping individuals navigate the ever-growing bureaucracy, it would be work well done.
But too often he (the position) feels the need to take on the Government by being critical of its Policies. That dear reader, I respectfully argue, is the role of the MPP - through Government Caucus, the Opposition and ultimately will be decided by the Electorate come Election Time.
As I have pointed out in earlier Blogs, we are more and more ruled by Czars - indeed, the USA has mastered this Black Art. Correspondingly, the role of our Parliaments and its Members is greatly diminished.
We need to reverse this dangerous trend with a view to holding our MPs more accountable to we the voter.
Permit me to give you an example.
Marin has been highly critical on many occasions about the poor quality of health care in the Province. A position on which we can all agree. However, ...
...nearly 50% of Ontario's budget is currently dedicated to Health.
So Marin complains, as he has done in the past, that more money is needed and from his pedestal, he successfully embarrasses the Government of the Day into providing more funding from an already strained Budget.
That, I submit, is none of his business.
There will be others in society who would rather see these scarce resources spent on education, policing, infrastructure and the like.
It is Parliament's Role, as our Elected Representatives, to make these difficult trade-offs.
Marin should confine himself to dealing with individuals who are having trouble with the Ministry of Health - e.g. getting their drug claims approved for payment.
Unfortunately Czars, like our bureaucracies, continue to grow like Topsy.
As I see it...
"Galagher"
