A successful democracy requires vigilance. I wrote an opinion piece that appears online in today’s Vancouver Sun. I encourage you to read it. What follows is a quick overview.
Naomi Klein observed that people will take advantage of a crisis to gain an advantage, in her book The Shock Doctrine,. The impending trade war threatened by President Donald Trump is such a crisis. In response, BC Premier Eby has brought forward Bill 7, The Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act. This Act proposes to ‘temporarily’ alter the architecture of lawmaking in BC.
Key sections of the Act effectively eliminate the need for a legislature. The proposals would allow the premier and his cabinet, not the elected members of the legislative assembly, to make amendments to the laws of British Columbia – substantially undermining the foundation of a representative democracy. The breadth of the powers given over to the executive branch of government are well beyond what the situation can justify.
Democracy is vulnerable. As Timothy Snyder outlines in his book On Tyranny, the lessons of the past show that the erosion of democratic institutions occurs in small increments with the consent, or passivity, of a citizenry. The challenge to all of us is to think critically and act with resolve not to allow political expediency (or innocent good intentions) subvert these institutions.
This subject is not credit union specific. However, credit unions and their members rely on the open and transparent lawmaking by their elected representatives. We all have a stake in our representative democracy. I am urging the premier to withdraw the bill. Perhaps you can too.
Re: “There is no requirement for these changes to be ratified, amended, or even time-limited.”
Ross, many thanks for bringing this information to our attention.
I am quite shocked by shock therapy that appears to have within it no sunset clauses!
Political tyranny seems unfounded and unpalatable. In any credit union, government or otherwise. Hope that you are well.