Judy A. Sgro, MP for York West (Liberal)
1. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing Parliament in the 21 st century?
Two words… tone and focus. There has always been a partisan divide in our governmental
structures but, in the past, that divide has been secondary to serving the public good. Put
another way, despite the fact that all parties have partisan henchmen within their ranks, I
believe that most elected politicians entered the business because of a genuine desire to do the
right thing and to help others. Unfortunately, in recent years the focus of Parliament has
shifted to more immediate, wedge issues; issues that fail to contemplate the long-term
implications to our society. Worse still, the tone within the so-called halls of power has
deteriorated to a point that is seriously hindering our collective ability to get things done. The
innate respect for the institutions that once prompted genuine respect for colleagues, and for
differing opinions held by those colleagues, has eroded and, as a consequence, “smart debate”
within Parliament and our various legislatures has largely been replaced by name-calling and
contempt for the process. Failing to address this deterioration of tone and focus in the years
ahead spells trouble for the institutions and for those the said institutions once worked to serve
and protect.
2. What change would you propose to “redesign” Parliament, and the way it works, so it’s
more relevant to Canadians?
I have long supported the idea of political parties because I strongly feel that the party system
ensures that the minority opinion is heard and heeded by the majority. In this context I feel
that formal political affiliations can and must be maintained. That said, when it comes to
collaboration and acceptance of ideas put forward by others, we have lost our way. When true
leaders such as Lester Pearson and even Robert Borden served as the Prime Minister, they were
not afraid to listen to and work with others. There was a societal realization that no one
person, party or group had all the answers and most saw no shame in admitting that obvious
fact. The media did not jeer or heckle political leadership for working together and the public
did not punish or deride parties for proposing coalitions or partnerships designed to solve real
problems. Because of this kind of cross-partisan teamwork Canada today has the Canada
Pension Plan, the Canadian Flag, universal national healthcare and government funded student
loans, to name only a few items that now define us as a people. My point is that we must find
our way back to a time when working with others was acceptable and not a sign of failure.
There is a time and a place when partisan walls serve a purpose but there are also occasions
when those walls must come down in favour of advancing our province or the nation. This is
the challenge that deserves our attention because failure to restore a mood of collaboration
and trust ensures that at least half of all good ideas will never be realized.
3. What change would make you better able to do your job and be more effective as an MP?
This is always a difficult question because there is always so much work yet to do. Additional
research and staffing resources would allow my offices to help even more people within the
community, and fewer procedural and legal stumbling blocks in the House of Commons would
allow strong legislation to more rapidly pass into law. Changes like this would offer a
tremendous boost to my abilities as an MP but, in reality, these are secondary concerns. My
primary ask is for the public to aggressively reengage in the political process.
I understand that cynicism and critical rebuke of elected officials is an easy answer but, without
engagement, it is no answer at all. There is an old saying, “just because you do not take an
interest in politics does not mean that politics will not take an interest in you.” Put simply, for
the political process to work effectively, citizen engagement is essential. As a person that has
served in elected office at both the local and federal levels for nearly 30-years, I can say without
hesitation that public oversight and involvement enables me to serve my constituents in a far
more effective manner. Moreover, it is my strong belief that public disengagement over the
past several years has been a major factor contributing to a decline in focus and tone within
Parliament and it is my hope that a reengagement by the public will set our national political
leadership back on the right path.
Judy Sgro has served as the MP for York West since 1999 and is currently the Liberal Critic for
Seniors, Pensions, and Status of Women. From 1987-1994 Ms. Sgro served as a Councillor on the
North York City Council, and after amalgamation as a Toronto City Councillor until 1998.
http://www.judysgro.com/