Some Liberals still don't get it

I've not blogged for several months, given the distractions of moving, settling in, and certain other challenging issues, but I cannot resist responding to the following comment by John Ibbitson, who writes about the infighting occurring within the Opposition parties:

And then there are the Liberal MPs who question the wisdom of the proposal to open up every riding to nomination contests. Once MPs are elected, these MPs contend, they should be safe from nomination challenges so that they can focus on representing the party in Ottawa. [my emphasis]

If Ibbitson has portrayed such MPs' complaints accurately, then those MPs represent part of the Liberal problem.

An MP's primary duty is to represent his or her constituents - every one of them, not just the Liberal-friendly. Their primary duty is NOT to represent the party in Ottawa.

Such MPs need an attitude adjustment. Protection of incumbents, for the above purported reason or any other, is anti-democratic. Political parties with ambition to lead a democratic nation should be themselves, at their very foundation, transparently democratic.

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