Nine stars
As Canada recently went through an election, pushing up against some turbulent times south of the border, I took it upon myself to do more reading about Canadian politics and what some have been discussing. That went well, though I did not get to finish all I had hoped. One book that remained unread was this one by Jonathan Manthorpe. In it, the author tackles many of the great fundamental issues, which he discusses with grace and confidence. While I did not agree with it all, there were some poignant moments well worth my time. Jonathan Manthorpe’s writing is easy to comprehend and his arguments are sound.
Manthorpe opens the discussion by comparing Canadian democracy to the state of the prime minister’s residence, which had been in the news quite a bit. Worn down and full of holes, the house is in dire need of repair (even still), which is something Manthorpe feels is also the case for Canada. He discusses the various political and social issues that have arisen, using solid arguments and well-expressed examples. His views are well-rounded and do not stray too close to either of the major political parties. He tackles Parliament, the Governor-General, and even the courts, all of which are limping along and need major changes. He leaves much time to refer to the Constitution as well, citing its shortcomings since the Charter of Rights and Freedoms came to be, and how Parliament lost its teeth thereafter. I won’t spoil it here, but the brief tome is well worth a gander, as it surely has some great ideas worthy of further discussion (and my virtual door is always open).
While I cannot accept some of his arguments, they were solid and well put forward. I was eager to see how Manthorpe would draw needed parallels to certain areas and he did so with ease. His chapters flowed from one to another without the need for a great deal of baggage, though they were also highly impactful. I am impressed with everything that he brought to the table and liked his perspectives. I can see he has his head on straight and is not simply venting to be heard. I am eager to read more by Jonathan Manthorpe to see where we might agree on other things in the future.
Kudos, Mr. Manthorpe, for a refreshing read!
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