Ihave studiously avoided expressing my political views in public!! However….. In a discussion with a friend about our political system I found I had to explain how a government functioned in parliamentary demography. This friend, of U.S. background, thought government and parliament were in fact the same thing. I now realize that a great many Canadians don't differentiate between the two. I finally realize that I have suffered for many decades under the delusion that we had a government of the people of Canada. We only appear to live in a parliamentary demography when in fact our government is an appointed dictatorship. We as individuals have little or no say in governance.

According to my understanding, we go to the polls to vote for a representative to go to sit in parliament. The name of the leaders of the various parties is not on that ballot. There are no boxes listing Conservative, Liberal, or Green or whatever party. I only have the list of names of individuals running for election to parliament in my riding.

A government consists of (1) a prime minister, the appointed leader of the party having the most individuals claiming allegiance to that party, and (2) the cabinet he (or she) appoints from that membership. We as citizens of the country have no say in the appointment of a government. Members elected by the citizens of the country are required by the party to vote according to the party platform on each and every piece of legislation formulated by government. Members are no longer responsible to the electorate (until the next election, probably 4 or 5 years hence). They are responsible to the party.

It should be noted that there is a misconception that the prime minister must appoint his cabinet from amongst the members of parliament elected by Canadians. The present P.M. has seen fit to appoint some members who have not even been elected to the House of Commons.

Government as a 'servant' of parliament, according to my understanding, is responsible to the members of the House of Commons. Now we are being told we must have an election because parliament is dysfunctional, i.e. cannot be relied upon to vote in favour of government legislation. Apparently parliament is responsible to government, not the other way around.

What we have been taught in our education system is obviously completely off track. The current teaching curriculum is not in text books but in the daily press. The day after an election headlines will indicate we have elected a Conservative or Liberal or whatever government. This is hogwash because we have had no opportunity to even vote for a government, only for a parliament.

I was taught we had a government of the people. Parliament had supreme authority. Now apparently I must accept the fact that that role is held by an appointed government. Furthermore, government is responsible to the political party, not the people.

Politicians decry the lack of responsibility of citizens of this country as defined by the poor turnout at the voting booths. There is even greater concern at the lack of interest being shown by the young people of the nation. Why should I, why should they, participate in such an apparent meaningless charade? How can I in all conscience try to convince others that it is their civic duty to go out and vote on election day?

The Canadian people, according to the polls see no need for, or in fact don't even want an election. Yet apparently one is imminent because our prime minister has made that decision, and our elected parliament has no say in the matter

I still believe in the system I was taught many decades ago. Nevertheless I can't help but wonder if I've got it all wrong. Has our education system failed society completely? And if so how many others, particularly of my generation, have become similarly deluded?