Taking Leave Toward Dual Performance

Ah, the venerable Bob Rae. He certainly has been around. No one could quite accuse him of not taking opportunities and running with them. Helped immeasurably by his formidable capability to act decisively, to interpret events concisely and to use his intellect to convince others of his abilities in many spheres of endeavour. His politics proved somewhat elastic, since he began his political career as a NDPer, once achieving the premiership of Ontario under that banner.

And then, finding the New Democratic Party had veered off its original purpose to his great disgust, left it to become a private entrepreneur where he shone there, as well, bringing great acclaim to his abilities to perform at an admirable level as a lecturer on foreign affairs, education and democratic reform. Following that up by a Bay Street law practise, producing government reports and writing books.

And then back to politics where membership in the Liberal Party of Canada beckoned. And where he aspired to its leadership when it was left rudderless and in the turmoil of collapse from the public trust. His leadership aspirations, despite his political experience (not that his stint as Ontario Premier brought great lustre to his reputation), his astute mind and obvious qualifications to lead, failed when others won the votes he craved.

There is little doubt he would have made a better leader than those whose fortune in that arena surpassed his own. Which, as acting leader of the Liberal Party in the interregnum between leadership conventions, he more than amply proved. He is now, however, prepared to step aside from that role, nobly and very well conducted, and to hand the reins over to one far less prepared and worthy than he.

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  Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

  Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae is packing up his office as he prepares to hand over the reins of the party to a new leader.
  

"It's up to the new leader to decide what he wants me to do or she wants me to do (how coy, when he knows quite well who it is who will take up the role he has just relinquished) and how he or she wants me to participate in the life of the caucus. There are times when you're on the stage and there are times when you're doing something else", he commented.

"And I've had my moments, and the new leader will make the decisions. I'll be doing whatever that new leader wants me to do." He will be in the House of Commons every week, he has assured those interested in how he will manage to do that while undertaking a new role as chief negotiator for Northern Ontario First Nations communities.

He will be involved in giving them a voice in the critical development of major mining projects known as the "Ring of Fire". Those who offered him this position will be right royally rewarded. They will trust the man they have hired, and they will have good reason to trust his judgement and his capabilities in forwarding their best interests.

As a taxpayer, however, from among those who vote and send their representatives as Members of Parliament to sit in the House of Commons and act as legislators to do the nation's business, we should be asking ourselves this question: How is it remotely possible to handle two full-time jobs? Why is it all right for an elected official to feel it is normal and permissible to handle two positions as Mr. Rae is now preparing to do?

Members of the Senate of Canada should be advised that when they accept a position as Senators, that should be the focus of their working life, and that alone. Members of Parliament should similarly be informed, because it should be legislated, that being elected to sit in the House of Commons should be considered a full-time position, excluding the potential of dividing their attention with another simultaneous position.