将那些脚踩两只船的政客踢出加拿大的政治舞台

2018年6月29日，安省保守党多数政府公布了内阁名单。通过合并，安省厅长的总数从自由党政府的30位减少到21位。由于福特省长亲自兼任一个内阁职位，实际厅长人数只有20位，加上这些厅长的助手后，厅长们的行政开支比前自由党政府减少了33％。

On June 29, 2018 the incoming PC majority government unveiled its cabinet to the Ontarians. Through consolidations, the total number of cabinet ministers is reduced from the Liberal Government's 30 ministers to 21. With Premier Ford taking on one cabinet post himself, the actual number of ministers with additional staff and support is now only 20 – a reduction of 33% in expenditures from the previous regime.

我没有猜错，福特没有从政治正确的角度选择各个厅长。他并没有根据性别，种族和族裔来安抚那些支持保守党上台的各股势力。福特内阁有7名女性，占整个内阁的32％，与当选的24名保守党女性议员占所有76名当选的保守党议员的比例一致。两名保守党泰米尔族裔和三名华裔议员均未被任命为厅长。福特没有义务这样做。他并不关心政治正确。厅长的选择就该取决于资格，能力和党的核心思想。

To my expectations, Ford did not select his ministers with political correctness in mind. He did not select them based on gender, racial, and heritage lines to appease the demographics. 7 female MPP's are now holding cabinet posts as ministers, a percentage comparable to those elected (32%) 24 out of 76. The two Tamils and three Chinese MPP's are not named as Ministers – Premier Ford is not obligated to do so and he is not concerned about political correctness. Ministers were selected mainly based on qualifications, merits, and party ideology. 

许多华裔和泰米尔裔认为，由于他们在省选中给保守党做了很大贡献，但他们却没有得到重视。这种心态是政治期望和回报在作怪。将取得执政的过程变成奖赏各个势力的手段，这种模式永远不应该受到鼓励。

Many Chinese and Tamils feel that they were slighted given the enormous support they provided to the party in the provincial election. This mentality is one of reward expectations and pay off, turning the political process into a transaction based on ethnic group supports – a model that should never be encouraged.

 

厅长下来的重要职位是担任议会助理的职位。那些未被选为内阁厅长和议会助理的人成为“后座议员”。议会助理协助厅长们打理立法和各个委员会的事务，包括打理特别项目和任务。这些任务和项目需要特别的领导能力。议会助理在与选民搞好关系和宣传政府的各项政策方面起着重要的作用。华裔保守党议员柯文彬被任命为旅游、文化和体育厅的议会助理。

Other important posts for elected MPP's will be those for Parliamentary Assistants. Those who are not selected as cabinet ministers and parliamentary assistants become “Back benchers”. Parliamentary Assistants (PA) support ministers with legislative and committee matters, including special projects and assignments that require dedicated leadership. They also play a key role in building relationships and communicating government initiatives across the province. One of the Chinese MPP's Vincent Ke becomes PA for the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

可悲的是，加拿大的政治格局在过去十年中一直朝着错误的方向发展。族裔背景成为个人进入政治舞台的关键。具有特定种族或族裔群体的候选人很容易成为这些群体的“政治代表”。

Sadly, the political landscape in Canada has been evolving in the wrong direction over the last decade. Ethnicity becomes the key for individuals to advance into the political arena. Enclaves with concentrations of specific ethnic or heritage groups will ensure the election of their “representatives”.

不管是本地出生，还是移民，这些“代表”只是因为他们的姓名或所从事的专业而踏上政治舞台，包括有点名声的广播和电视从业人员，医生，会计师和律师。他们总是能获得选票，不管他们是否关心社区或对社区有所贡献。他们中的许多人无法用我们的官方语言把一件事说清楚。记得我曾与前安省自由党的华裔厅长打过一回交道。由于他英文蹩脚，我听不懂他要干什么和为何要这么干。

Many of these representatives are elected based on their name recognition and professional status, either locally or previous from aboard. Famous radio and television personnel, Doctors, Accountants, and Lawyers will always attract votes, regardless of their involvement and contribution (or lack thereof) to their community. Many of them do not possess the communication skill or articulation effectiveness of one of our official languages. I recall meeting one of the Ontario Liberal cabinet minister of Chinese origin and had a hard time understanding his ideas and reasoning due to his atrocious English skills.

 

作为选民，我们必须选出最有代表性的政治代表。他们将为所有选民的利益而不仅仅是我们所认同的种族群体服务。我们不要把坏习惯留给我们的下一代！要成为加拿大人，我们必须融入主流社会并成为其中的一部分。如果被提名者或候选人恰好是同一种族，那就就事认事，根据候选人的优点和资格而不是他/她的种族或肤色来选择能为“所有选民”服务的最佳人选。

As voters, we must elect the best representative who will work for the benefit of all constituents and not just the ethnic groups that we are identified with. Do not leave this to our next generation! To be successful Canadians, we must integrate ourselves into mainstream society and become part of it. If the nominees or candidates happen to be of our same ethnicity, so be it. Elect the best person base on merits and qualifications and their desire to serve “all constituents” regardless of race or colour.

 

如果我们渴望成为政治家，那么我们也必须准备好像加拿大人一样，为所有选民服务。由于我们离开了各自的祖国并选择成为加拿大人，因此，我们必须服从加拿大的利益。有人认为有许多政客脚踩两只船。他们帮助自己的祖籍国对加拿大进行政治影响，左右公众舆论和政府政策，使祖籍国受益。我们无法琢磨他们这么做是为了经济利益还是爱自己的祖籍国，或两者兼而有之。但是，我们应该揭露他们的所作所为并彻底把他们踢出加拿大的政治舞台。

If we are aspiring to be politicians, then we must also be prepared to work with all of the constituents as Canadians. Since we left our perspective countries and become Canadians by choice, we must work for the good of Canada. Many politicians have been identified as working for two masters. They are helping their countries of origin to further their political influence, and to sway public opinions and government policies to benefit those countries. Whether they are doing this for financial gains or patriotic gestures or both, we cannot fathom. They should be exposed and abandoned by the electorate.

 

现在是扭转那种以族裔偏见来选举我们的政客的时候了。加拿大各个党派要克制自己通过拉拢族裔“明星”候选人来获得更多的席位的做法。虽然第一代移民的后代最终会缓解或解决这一问题，但我们不必坐等。我们可以共同努力，更快地建立一个以精英为基础、多元化、包容、更美好的国家。

The time to reverse the trend on political election by ethnicity bias is now. The political parties must also rein in their urges to get more seats through acquiring “star” candidates based on ethnicity. While the descendants from first generation immigrants will eventually alleviate or solve the problem, we need not wait for this to happen. We can all work together to get there faster and build a better country with diversity and inclusiveness based on meritocracy.