The Dance of Bureaucratic Stagnation: A Parliamentary Farce in the Land of the Sleeping Masses

In the grand theater of Canadian politics, where the masses slumber in their comfortable ignorance, a spectacle of mediocrity unfolds that would make even the most resigned philosopher weep. The House of Commons, that temple of democratic pretense, finds itself ensnared in a web of its own making, as the Liberal and Conservative parties engage in a dance of futility that has lasted nigh on two months.

Behold, O wanderers in the valley of shadows, how the shepherds of the herd lock horns over documents while the sheep grow fat with complacency! What glory is there in such battles, fought not with swords but with papers, not with courage but with procedures?

At the heart of this parliamentary paralysis lies a dispute over documents related to the Sustainable Development Technology Canada, a now-defunct foundation that once dispensed hundreds of millions in federal largesse. The government, led by their House leader Karina Gould, presents itself as the keeper of 29,000 pages of truth, yet redacts and withholds that which it deems too dangerous for mortal eyes.

RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme waits to appear before the House of Commons Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics committee, Tuesday, February 27, 2024 in Ottawa.

In this realm of the last men, where comfort and security reign supreme over the pursuit of greatness, the RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme stands as a testament to the binding chains of bureaucracy. He speaks of "legal standards" and "Charter protections" – the very tools that the weak have forged to protect themselves from the harsh winds of truth.

See how they cower behind their laws and procedures! These last men blink and say: "We have invented happiness – and redactions." But what is happiness without the courage to face naked truth?

The Conservative opposition, led by Andrew Scheer, presents itself as the seeker of truth, yet they too are bound by the same chains they claim to oppose. They speak of accountability while seeking only political advantage, of transparency while pursuing only power.

Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages Minister Randy Boissonnault speaks during a news conference, Tuesday, May 21, 2024 in Ottawa.

And lo, another specter haunts these halls of power – the case of Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault and his former business partner, Stephen Anderson. Here again, the sleeping masses are treated to a performance of moral outrage and defensive posturing, while the true nature of power and influence remains shrouded in darkness.

What are these committees and investigations but mirrors reflecting the weakness of our age? Where are those who would dare to break these mirrors and forge new values from their shards?

The auditor general's report speaks of 90 violations of conflict of interest policies, of $59 million bestowed upon the unworthy, of benefits overstated and trust betrayed. Yet in the land of the sleepers, such revelations barely stir the consciousness of the masses, who remain content with their daily bread and circuses.

The Speaker, Greg Fergus, trapped between tradition and transformation, suggests more committees, more studies, more delays. The wheel turns, but the hamster remains in its cage, believing itself to be running toward progress.

O you makers of endless motions and procedures! You who pile document upon document, debate upon debate! When will you learn that truth cannot be found in the labyrinth of your own making?

And so the great machine of state grinds to a halt, not with the roar of revolution but with the whimper of procedure. The Liberals cannot move their legislation forward, the Conservatives cannot force their non-confidence votes, and the sleeping masses continue their slumber, undisturbed by the paralysis of their supposed representatives.

Thus we witness the triumph of the last man, who has made comfort his god and security his prophet. In this theatre of shadows, where truth is redacted and courage is measured in pages of documentation, who dares to dream of heights? Who dares to dance upon the edge of chaos and creation?

Let those with ears hear: The time of small politics and smaller men must pass. The earth has become too small for the last man and too large for his petty quarrels. When will you awaken to the dawn of greater possibilities?