Of Mice and Men (and Women)

Editor's note: I originally published the following in the June 1 edition of Current Magazine.

Myles

Of Mice and Men (and Women)

Newfoundland and Labrador is a bloody mess!

Federal/Provincial relations are in the toilet. We’re represented by seven puppets in Ottawa. Our people are second class citizens in Canada and everyone is looking toward the latest provincial savior to guide us into a future that’s a crap shoot.

What can we do?

Here’s a novel idea. Let’s get off our collective butts and fight back for once!

Our situation reminds me of the legendary tale of “Mouseland”. If you’ve never heard of it, Mouseland is a parable once told by Saskatchewan political dynamo and father of universal health care, the late Tommy Douglas.

Mouseland talks of mice that go about their daily routines, working, raising children and so on, just like we do. Every four years they elect a new parliament. The funny thing is they always elect a parliament made up of cats, black cats to be precise.

To paraphrase Mr. Douglas, black cats make wonderful promises. One time they promised smaller rounder mouse holes so cats couldn’t stick their heads in and eat all the little mice. They delivered. But they made sure the holes were big enough so they could still get their paws inside and pull the mice out.

After years of misery the mice decided it was time for a change so they elected a new government. This time they elected white cats. The white cats promised to get rid of round mouse holes. “That’ll fix the problem”, they said. Once elected the white cats built square holes but they were bigger than the round ones so the cats could get their heads inside again.

The moral: Cats, no matter their color, are still cats. They aren’t mice. It’s not that cats are bad. In fact they actually do good things, for other cats. To paraphrase Mr. Douglas, what’s good for a Nation of cats isn’t necessarily good for a Province of mice.

Just like Mouseland, it’s time we elected 7 independent or Bloc style mice and sent them to Ottawa instead of the usual lot of red, blue or even orange cats.

I can hear the usual curmudgeons and party faithful shake their heads and ask, “What in God’s name can 7 independent MPs accomplish in a parliament of 308?” Don’t listen to them. We may be facing a string of minority governments in Canada. A bloc of 6 or 7 mice who aren’t obligated to toe the party line can do a lot in that environment. They certainly can’t do any worse than our usual 7 (fat) cats.

What do we have to lose? We gave away the upper Churchill for the benefit of Canada and the glory of another almighty savior, Joey Smallwood. The fish are gone, the railroad is gone, mills are closing, unemployment is rampant and people are leaving by the plane, bus and boat load. We have to do something or by the time the oil runs out the locks will already be on the door.

Ben Franklin once said, “Those who give up liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

In 1949 we sold our Nation into confederation for a baby bonus and the old age pension. According to Ben, we got what we deserved.

It’s time each of us did something to get ourselves out of the mess we’ve fallen, gotten pushed or were conned into, depending on your point of view. The Ode to Newfoundland contains the line, “Where once they stood we stand”. Sadly it makes me realize most of us don’t stand for much anymore.

Dismiss me as nut, a crackpot or even a nationalist if you must. I really don’t care. I’ve been called far worse, including a Liberal, PC and NDP. I’d prefer the former names to the latter.

Tommy Douglas noted at the end of Mouseland how one little mouse called on his fellow citizens to stop electing cats. He was dragged away to shut him up.