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|Monday March 29, 2004 |
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PICASSO AND THE LEPER COLONY
Federal politics in Ottawa is starting to look like an art gallery and on
exhibit, in this order, are the paintings of Michelangelo, Monet, Van Gogh,
and Picasso. Come along for the ride.
First stop, Michelangelo, whose paintings are always clear. Next
stop, the impressionism of Monet, whose masterpieces rejected the standard
technique typical of the Renaissance era. Next, Van Gogh, whose
expressionism probed surroundings, colours and light. Final stop, Pablo
Picasso, the master of cubism and collage, who saw eyes on elbows, noses on
crotches, and feet on heads.
I'm seeing Prime Minister Paul Martin as the subject of these
paintings.
Last year, at this time Paul Martin was like the David of
Michelangelo, if you will. The political environment was similar to the
Sistine Chapel and Martin held the powerful image of someone ready to bring
about justice. Then things turned Monet-like during the leadership
convention: although Martin's technique was clear, the subject was more the
environment than "hero," which was also typical of Renaissance art.
Then there was Chrétien's resignation and the transformation of
power from Chrétien to Martin. Before Christmas the political landscape
looked like a Vincent Van Gogh painting. Things changed from oil to water
and, in order to appreciate the picture, you had to look at it from a
distance. To appreciate the masterpiece of the expressionism you have to
avoid examining the details. The farther away you are, the better things
looked.
And then came along the $100-million ads and sponsorship program
and Sheila Fraser. At this point on, the House of Commons started to look
like a collage of the dramatic paintings of the Sistine Chapel, but
revisited by Pablo Picasso. Or, if you prefer, Guernica because you don't
understand what's going on, but you feel the drama.
Here's why.
There's the united Conservative Party, but the former leader of the
PC, former prime minister Joe Clark, sitting in exile amongst Liberals.
Peter MacKay is now Stephen Harper's right-hand man and Scott Brison is
sitting right behind Paul Martin.
Also in this Canadian Sistine Chapel environment, is the miracle of
the resurrection in the benches of the Bloc Québecois who are back from the
funeral home and waiting in the emergency unit. Further on the left, there
is a group of 'angels' waiting for another miracle: the NDP is waiting for
the 'descent' of the 'Holy Broadbent,' while their leader, Jack Layton, is
still in purgatory.
Much more convoluted in this picture is what's going on in the
government benches. Again, looking at it from a distance it appears
beautiful: you know the Liberals are divided but they are sitting together.
The only sign of the turmoil is the demarcation line between the government
area in the middle and what they call the "leper colony" on the right, or
the south side of the benches. It starts from Don Boudria and includes
people like Lawrence MacAulay, John Manley, Bob Nault, Lyle Vanclief and
others like Jane Stewart, Elinor Caplan, Sheila Copps and Susan Whelan. The
only seat that reminds of the past is the one on the extreme left occupied
by Charles Caccia, always a kind of "distinct society" within the Liberal
Party.
As you can see, it seems like a rosy picture but, again, avoid the
close-ups, otherwise confusion will crush your curiosity.
In fact, it gets more confusing to try to comprehend why the
Conservatives attack the Liberals, accusing them of being in the middle of
an outrageous scandal, but do not want to go to the polls. It also seems, on
the surface, unconscionable that the Liberals, or the Martin Liberals, are
willing to go to the polls while they have "inherited" a "rotten fish in the
fridge." The opposition parties aren't saying so, but Martin's new Quebec
lieutenant Jean Lapierre is. This statement was raised in the caucus by some
Liberal MPs who complained to the Prime Minister. Paul Martin defended his
prodigal son saying he was caught off guard by the media questioning.
And then there are Liberal MPs, like Walt Lastewka, who fresh from
a hard-fought nomination in St. Catharines, Ont., showed his colleagues a
print-out of a page from the LPC internet site where his party was
supporting his opponent.
Of course, there are some valid explanations why the divided
Liberals, with a "rotten fish" in the fridge want to go to the polls, and
the united and loving new Conservatives want to delay it. To do so, you have
to get closer to the picture in order to get details. If you try so, you
will hear things like Groupaction agency or powerful political organizers in
British Columbia involved in drug dealings, you will hear rumours about a
famous Ottawa consultant saying "I've just made $10,000 over a 15 minutes
conversation with the minister."
No, it can't be. Then you move back because you are going to be
more confused then before: no details please, this is Picasso.
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