LARRY'S CORNER- Hamilton's Former Mayor Speaks

Who is Canada's Political Lion?

By Larry Di Ianni
(posted August 31, 2009)

It was instructive and moving to watch the tributes to Ted Kennedy, the US Senate’s acknowledged ‘lion’.  If you grew up in the 60’s, watching the last of the legendary brothers being buried would have swept you up in the nostalgia associated with the Kennedy name.  Those were heady days fifty years ago.  Canada was having an awakening of sorts; and the new American president had enthralled most everyone in this country with his youth and enthusiasm.  It wasn’t until at least 5 years later that the Kennedy-echo would be felt as we too embraced political vigour during Canada’s Trudeaumania.  I am convinced that the seeds for Pierre were planted by Jack!

Then the tragedies began.  I was only in Grade 10 when JKF was assassinated.  I recall walking home from a mid-term exam as someone rushed up and asked if I ‘remembered’ President Kennedy.  What a silly question to be asking, I thought; and then was told that the president had been assassinated.  I felt anger and shock and in my immature mind blamed the Soviet Union who had just been humbled during the tense Cuban blockade episode.  I was ready for global war and I too was ready to enlist, if I needed to. That was not to be, thankfully; however, the whole world was in mourning.

 I watched first-hand the television images that have since been indelibly etched in history:  the First Lady scrambling atop the convertible trying to retrieve the president’s bullet-splattered scalp, the dignified and blood-drenched Jackie attending LBJ’s swearing-in ritual aboard Air Force One, John-John’s salute, the lonely horse carrying the president’s flag-draped casket, Lee Harvey Oswald being gunned down by Jack Ruby, Robert Kennedy’s victory speech in California, the lifeless body of yet another Kennedy assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan, Chappaquidick, Teddy Kennedy’s challenge of President Carter, the convention speech by the defeated Senator, John Kennedy Jr.’s funeral, Kennedy endorsing Obama.  These were powerful moments that influenced a world, and not just Americans.

And now the 77 year-old Senator from Massachusetts has died.  He was eulogized by one and all.  The current President, his children, his niece Caroline, other members of the Senate including Republicans, Pope Benedict through a letter he had written the Senator as his health failed, his parish priest and many others.  Through it all there was a common theme.  The first is that Teddy Kennedy was a decent human being who sacrificed a life of leisure to the common good.  The second is that he was not a perfect man, far from it, but he attempted through his good deeds to ‘right the way’ as he himself admitted.  The third is that he was truly a ‘lion of the Senate’ having influenced thousands of pieces of legislation during his 47 years of service.  He was directly responsible for helping those in poverty, those with mental health issues, those who wanted to better their education, veterans coming back from war, immigrants wanting a fair deal in a new country, and those wanting access to decent health care.  Everyone acknowledged that Kennedy was a great Senator, perhaps in line with the famous Daniel Webster.  Astounding from someone who when elected was seen as a lightweight with a silver spoon in his mouth.  Teddy worked hard every day to dispel that notion and make his country better.  It is too bad that his one self-acknowledged ‘cause of his life’, health care is as of yet an unfinished piece of business.  Perhaps Congress will do right by him and honour all the nice words said about the Senator with an appropriate piece of legislation enshrining health care principles in law that Kennedy espoused all his life.  What are the chances?

I also began to wonder who in Canada is a ‘lion’ of our parliament.  Our system is different from the American one.  We are a parliamentary democracy.  They are a republican democracy with three co-dependent, yet independent branches: the Executive Branch with the President in charge, Congress with the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the Judiciary with the Supreme Court.  Whereas individuals are given the opportunity to shine in each of these branches, our party-system with centralized authority by the PMO in government and the various leaders in opposition often squelch individual talent rather than encourage it.  Names like Stanley Knowles, -Don Jamieson,  Paul Martin Sr., Romeo LeBlanc, Paul Martin Jr. (as finance minister), Tommy Douglas, and a few others join the notable prime ministers such as John A. Macdonald, Wilfrid Laurier, Mackenzie King, Lester Pearson, Pierre Trudeau and Brian Mulroney as having been transformative leaders in their generations.  Others, especially the wily Jean Chretien are known more for how to maintain power rather than any sweeping changes they ushered in during their tenures.  We have had and probably still have many competent members of our Parliament, but alas, our system doesn’t allow for a lion to roar!

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