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8 - The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Sunday November 18, 2001 O pen H ouse P o litic a l c o lu m n is t te lls C a n a d ia n C lu b : Prime Minister wields too much power (Continued from page 1) M e n t o r C o lle g e Main Campus (Grades 5 to OAC) 40 Forest Avenue (corner of Briarwood and Forest) Saturday, November 24th 9:30 am - 12:00 noon New Double-Gymnasium and Computer Labs Meet Teachers, Students and Principals Campus Tours By Student Ambassadors note: there will be no entrance testing untilJanuary For more information, call: (905) 271-3393 w w w .m e n to rc o lle g e .e d u seemed too far reaching, he said. Hearing more and more people talk about it on his book tour, though, makes it an idea worth exploring, Simpson added. While the title The Friendly Dictatorship, and the book jack et's superimposed picture of Prime Minister Jean Chretien's face atop a figure in a South American General's uniform, are pejorative, "it is not a screed about the leader nor the Liberal Party", said Simpson. Rather, it is disparaging of the defacto one party state Canadians have been left with in lieu of a viable opposition party capable of providing voters with real choices. Simpson said current opposi tion parties misunderstand the nature of Canada when they opt to hang on to narrow-minded ideologies that are expected to blanket a nation that is more a patchwork of regional diversity. "Canada is a nation that is not a cultural union, nor an econom ic union, nor religious union. It is a political arrangement, which means compromise is required as well as pragmatism and toler ance." Simpson is also critical of the system that gives too much power to the Prime Minister, calling it a "prime ministerial system in the trappings of a par liamentary system." No other country in the world gives the prime minister the right to appoint every person of con sequence (except the speaker of the house) including ministers, parliamentary secretaries, heads of state, senators, etc. As for the rest of the democ racy, Simpson wants members of parliament to stand up and express independent views in the If you have a news tip or story idea, call the O akville Beaver at 845-3824. legislature, instead of towing the line like party puppets. But before they get there, MPs should win their seats representationally, based on receiv ing more than 50% of the riding votes, not the current set up in which the candidate with the most votes wins. This will go a long way toward increasing the respectability voters have toward politicians, said Simpson. "We do a disservice to deni grate politicians. We don't need to venerate them but we also don't need to hack them either. If we give up on politicians then we give up on ourselves and democratic beliefs." Senators should also be elect ed, and campaign financing should be revamped disallowing contributions from corporate and union interests, he added. "Apathy and cynicism are soul mates on the rise in this country, but they are also democracy^ foes and therefore worth combating." O akville Rotary A u c t i o n 'T ra v e l is p ro u d to host the live perform ance, vid e o travel show : Produced by Holland America Westours, Alaska's largest and oldest tour company, it is an entertaining and informative hour and a half. Oakville Rotary Auction features the remarkable scenery, the songs and the stories of the Great Land! The live performance and video presentation recount the history, culture, beauty and variety of Westours' Alaska November 23 and 24 Sunday, November 25, 2001 Royal Botanical Gardens Registration 1:30 pm Show 2:00 - 4:00 pm Admission $3.00 per person Co^eco23 Advance tickets are required and available at all CAA South Central Ontario Travel Stores. w w w .o a k v i l l e r o t a r y .o r ^ T ra v e l 990 U pper W e n tw o rth Street Ham ilton, O ntario Tel: 905-577-4129 Ask fo r Laura to V ifh ^ c ^ e o ^ e You. T r u t f !