Together, our 65 MPs used an astonishing variety of terms and concepts to describe the very same position. This immense variation should give pause to anyone concerned with the political process.
We would hope that MPs should be in general agreement as to why they are in Ottawa and what they are supposed to be doing there. Furthermore, Canadians should have an understanding of what to expect from their elected representatives. As it stands, it is not clear that Parliamentarians have a shared conception of an MP’s job description, which likely makes it difficult for the electorate to have a clear view either.
Furthermore, only a few MPs described coming to public life with a game plan for how they sought to approach their time in office. In describing their initial motivations, most articulated a desire to change the status quo. Whether it was a precise policy area, a more general view of how citizens’ voices are expressed or a concern for how politics are conducted in this country, most MPs sought to make a difference. Ironically, this rarely translated into a deliberate plan. Instead, and as our next report specifically address, most said they stumbled into what would ultimately become an important area of interest, or learned to work with what they were given.
To some degree, these inconsistencies should be expected: the role is multifaceted, and does involve a wide variety of often-competing responsibilities.
One reason for this is the inherently complex relationship between an MP and his or her political party. As we will describe in greater detail in our next report, this relationship is akin to the one the owner of a local retail franchise has with the larger national company. While the MP (or the store owner) can be seen as the sole proprietor in the riding or retail district, he or she must adhere to the standards and rules that govern the wider political party or company brand, even when they chafe against his or her personal views or the desire of the local residents.
Further complicating this story is the fact that not all MPs enter politics for the same reasons. As we reported in The Accidental Citizen?, our MPs come to politics with a wide variety of pre-Parliamentary backgrounds, careers and expressed motivations. In addition, some MPs belong to political parties — such as the New Democratic Party or the Bloc Québécois — that are unlikely to win enough seats to form a government. These MPs know their role will be as a member of the opposition benches, and this may influence their interpretation of an MP’s essential purpose.
Since contemporary Canadian society is culturally, regionally, economically and politically diverse, some may argue that such varied descriptions of an MPs’ role are inevitable. “It’s a question that will be answered, probably, in as many different ways as there are Members of Parliament and will probably change with the historic development of the country,” one MP admitted.
No doubt the definition will evolve, but surely we can do better than the current inconsistent, and even contradictory, understanding of what an MP is supposed to do.