Jacques Gourde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, for Official Languages and for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec and Member of Parliament (Lotbinière−Chutes-de-la-Chaudière), today announced federal funding for the SAQ New France Festival. He made this announcement on behalf of the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, and the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec.
Why does it take an entire paragraph just to explain who these people are? It's like the grand and over wrought titles of obscure central European aristocrats. His Grace the Duke of Moncton Upon the Petitcodiac, Master of the Prime Minister's Toilet and Lord of the St Jean Curling Club. Part of the idea of a constitutional monarch is that the royals do the pomp and circumstance stuff, while the elected politicians get on with the business of government.
The founding fathers of Canada and the United States differed on a few things, like what they thought of the monarchy, but generally they believed that one of the blessings of the New World was that it could be free of the sins of the old. Among the most egregious sins was that of the class system. Certainly there were prominent Canadians who sought and obtained aristocratic titles, the most famous being Lord Strathcona. But the 1st Baron Starthcona and Mount Royal started out life as plain old Donald Smith. Canadians were fine with fancy titles, so long as you'd earned them.
It's in the nature of any institution to seek to grow. Bigger budgets, more staff and grander titles. A decent salary and a cushy pension are nice, but as we move up Maslow's hierarchy we finally reach "self actualization." But let's say you're not big into creativity, problem solving or spontaneity. If you can't get some real honest to goodness "self actualization" you'll need to find a substitute. Not just the respect of your peers. No something more impressive. You need a fancy sounding title.
Most degrees, certificates, associations, titles, honorary memberships are a form of snob appeal. Never underestimate the power of human snobbery to throttle human accomplishment. Think of the number of people toiling away in an office who'd be much happier working with their hands. I've known more than a few mid-level office drones and even executives who dream of being building contractors. They'll never do it. Their wives and mothers would be ashamed of them. They'd much rather have a husband or son who called themselves an Associate District Brand Administrator than a bricklayer. That the latter is often better paid and far more socially useful is irrelevant. The former sounds more prestigious.
Go back to the original quote for a moment: "Jacques Gourde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, for Official Languages and for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec." What does that even mean? Why does the Prime Minister need a Parliamentary Secretary just for the Official Languages? Do they become less official if a parliamentary fart catcher isn't assigned to their overview? There is already a cabinet level official whose job it is to make sure that Canada remains bilingual. Just on the off chance that everyone in Alberta decides to start speaking French.
Somewhere in the distant fog of political memory a staffer in the PMO suggested, quite seriously, that the Prime Minister should have a PS dedicated to Official Languages. Why? Because it was a gesture toward Quebec. Not that anyone in Quebec cares. If tomorrow morning this PS was shuffled off into political oblivion the Opposition would decry this as proof that Stephen Harper hates the French. This is, of course, untrue. Like most English speaking Canadians he simply finds the Quebecois deeply annoying. Something akin to a dinner guest who keeps discreetly mocking the wallpaper and the china.
An empty title designed to placate a group of people who can never be placated. An empty title that is dangled in front of some Parliamentary backbencher to assure his loyalty. An empty title the backbencher can then use to impress his friends, family and constituents. Light vanity, insatiate cormorant / Consuming means, soon preys upon itself.
If we really wish to honour the original settlers of Canada, they the builders of the nation, we would remind ourselves of why they came. It's unlikely that any prospective habitant crossed the Atlantic so that centuries later he could be immortalized by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister for Official Languages and for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec. He would have had enough of that nonsense back home.
It would save money in business cards and stationery if all PSs were all part of the Ministry of Silly Walks. Functionally, nothing would change.
Ministerial appointments including the also-rans (PSs) are mostly a reward system for compliant drones in caucus. Harper has a large cabinet group with their rewards. Dissent has been well disincentivised.
Posted by: John Chittick | Wednesday, August 13, 2014 at 01:38 AM
"Not that anyone in Quebec cares."
Mark
Ottawa
Posted by: markottawa | Wednesday, August 13, 2014 at 08:51 PM