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Keith Martin: House of Commons 'warped, twisted and undemocratic'
When B.C. taxpayers expected courage, three MPs wimped out

By Michael Smyth,
The Province
December 11, 2009


The House of Commons has become a "warped, twisted and undemocratic" place where MPs act like mindless "lemmings" forced to do the bidding of their parties instead of the people.

That's the bitter view of Liberal MP Keith Martin, a day after he boycotted a Parliament Hill vote on the HST — a tax he believes will brutalize British Columbians already reeling from the recession.

Martin told me yesterday he was "heartbroken" to see his colleagues support the new tax, and that he tried to convince Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff to oppose it. When he lost that battle, Martin said he told his party puppetmasters he wouldn't dance their jig.

"It was a whipped vote, but I said I could not vote for it and I wasn't going to show up."

A "whipped vote" is one where MPs are required by their parties to vote as they're told. Martin said he expects to be reprimanded for his no-show.

But if he feels so strongly about the HST, why didn't he stand up for his Victoria-area constituents and vote against it?

"Because it could have destroyed my ability to do my job," he said.

"The penalty to go against the party leader is severe: You can be kicked out of caucus, kicked off committees, stripped of your critic portfolio, prevented from asking questions in Question Period. You become ostracized in your own party and your ability to move up the ladder to a job with more responsibility and influence is destroyed.

"You're left in an ethical conundrum. This is the toxic sickness of Parliament."

He went on: "The Parliament we have today is warped, twisted and undemocratic. We're paid to represent our constituents. But the public is not getting proper representation or value for their money.

"MPs are forced to do the bidding of the party over the bidding of the people. It breaks my heart."

Strong words. But at the end of day, Martin was still hiding in his office when he had a chance to take a stand for democracy — and vote against a tax the vast majority of British Columbians despise.

The harmonized sales tax will combine the seven-per-cent provincial sales tax and the five-per-cent GST starting July 1. The new 12-per-cent tax will apply to hundreds of goods and services now exempt from PST — everything from haircuts to funerals — and load an estimated $2 billion onto the backs of recession-weary consumers.

That's why HST opponents were thrilled to hear Conservative Dona Cadman was ready to take on her own government over the unpopular tax. Earlier this week, the Surrey North MP vowed to vote against the HST — come hell or high water.

"I will vote with the people or for the people," Cadman told the Surrey Now. Asked if she was concerned about retaliation for opposing her own Tory government, she expressed no fear: "We'll see what happens."

Spoken in the true maverick spirit of her late husband, Chuck Cadman! Known for his trademark ponytail and blue jeans in a sea of Parliament Hill power suits, Chuck Cadman took pride in voting his constituents' wishes.

But when it came time for her to vote against the HST, Dona Cadman did the same as Martin. And took a powder.

Cadman said she decided to skip the HST vote out of respect for her Conservative colleagues. She said she received a verbal reprimand for her actions.

From maverick to mouse in 24 hours — but Cadman said voters should expect little else.

"I did the best I could," she said. "I am a team player. They're doing a good job, but I just disagree with them [the Conservatives] on this."

And then there's Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh, a former B.C. premier and one of the first federal voices raised against the HST. I interviewed Dosanjh in August when he said the tax was being inflicted at the worst possible time.

"People are hurting," he said. "This is not the time to raise their taxes."

Don't forget Dosanjh was once attacked with an iron bar for speaking out against violence in the Sikh community. He has not been afraid to stand up for his beliefs in the past.

But on Wednesday, he stood in the House of Commons and voted against his beliefs — and for the HST.

Will Dosanjh, Cadman and Martin pay a price at election time for their actions — or lack thereof? Perhaps. The HST is opposed by an overwhelming 82 per cent of British Columbians, according to a new Canwest News Service poll.

But it now appears the only way the HST will be stopped is if eight Liberal MLAs in Gordon Campbell's provincial government break ranks in Victoria.

After this week's show of political "bravery" in Ottawa, I wouldn't hold my breath.

msmyth@theprovince.com
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