Canadians’ Trust Is Failing
After years of horrid leadership in politics, policing and the legal system the passive, nice Canadian folk may be considering, possibly, maybe even thinking out loud that things are not so rosy in the various halls of power in Canada, maybe.
A poll by The Environics Institute demonstrates that trust is at an all time low. Ya think?
Notice the positive spin the mighty Globe and Mail puts on the results…
Canadians are slowly losing trust in Parliament and political parties, and share some of the toughest views in the American hemisphere about their national leader, according to a new 26-country survey.
Only one in four (27%) Canadians feel strongly that the courts are able to guarantee a fair trial.
It starts out slow but….
Canadians are holding on to their positive views [are you sure?] of the Canadian Forces and the RCMP, an above-average [how low is the average?] appreciation of their law-and-order institutions.
Really? POSITIVE views on the Canadian Forces and the RCMP?? Since they know most people will not read the whole article they hide the facts/truth near the end. Either that or the Globe’s idea of positive views has a very low threshold.
From the END of the article:
A large number of Canadians have trust in institutions such as the Canadian Forces (53 per cent) [oh gee, ignore that a virtually EQUALLY large number do NOT trust them] and the RCMP (36 per cent) [WOW! 64% seems like a lot larger number DISTRUST the RCMP] and the level of confidence in the country’s justice system remains above average [is the average amongst other countries really low by chance?] among respondents to the pan-American survey. Mr. Neuman said that the Canadian Forces and the RCMP have long commanded much respect in Canada, despite controversies that have affected the national police force in recent years. [using the past to pretend it still exists today?]
So the “news” is how good the numbers are, while ignoring how low the level of trust really is. Have our standards sunk so low that we cheer that half of Canadians don’t trust the Canadian Forces or that two thirds of Canadians do not trust the RCMP and the trust in the justice system is “above average”…what was the average, 22%?
Lets see what the report actually reported:
Only one in four (27%) feel strongly that the courts are able to guarantee a fair trial, and only one in ten (10%) have strong faith in the system punishing the guilty if they themselves were a victim of crime (versus 42% with little to no faith). This ambivalence notwithstanding, by hemispheric standards, Canadians are among the most confident in the guarantee of a fair trial (second only to Guyana) [YAY Canada].
The apologists will spout “it’s better than a third world dictatorship”! Or, “if you don’t like it you can leave”. Can you say, “how sad”.
And do Canadians think corruption in government could possibly happen here?
Corruption in government. Given the media focus on government misdeeds, it is perhaps not surprising that a majority of Canadians believe that corruption among public officials is common (47%) if not very common (17%).
We put police, military, lawyers, judiciary into positions of trust, public trust, that they will perform their jobs in an honorable, lawful fashion. Anything less is a disgrace. To accept such low levels of trust, or justify them as good, is a symptom of….something not good.
The folks in power, many largely corrupted now, seek solace in these words issued in the article I’m sure:
Still, the survey found little appetite for major changes to Canadian institutions or the governance regime, with large numbers of respondents feeling that they can make their views heard in the political process. [really? large numbers? is that a head count or a percentage?]
“There is no groundswell for an overhaul of the system,” Mr. Neuman said of the results. [at least they don’t want to acknowledge the groundswell]
Is it wishful thinking? Or is it true. Have Canadians slowly lost trust to the point where a groundswell is here and demands for an overhaul are underway?
I think there is a groundswell, but the “system” treats those people as social/political deviants, tax protestors and crazy folks for actually reading the law and trying to exercise their rights. Worst of all demanding that those in public office do their job according to law. Shocking!
It’s enough to drive a crooked judge, policeman, lawyer and politician crazy. Crazy enough to consider early retirement?
PDF Of Globe and Mail Article – Globe & Mail: Harper among least trusted leaders, poll shows
Link to Article -http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-among-least-trusted-leaders-poll-shows/article5187774/
Report Autors WEBSITE – http://www.environicsinstitute.org/institute-projects/current-projects/americasbarometer-2012
READ THE REPORT YOURSELF
environicsinstitute – americasbarometer canada 2012 – executive summary
