Sunday, September 6, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
UnProfessional
I got the strangest compliment the other day. Strange in that it wasn't intended to be a compliment, but being the optimist that I am, I try to grow from all criticism, which is what lead me to realize that it shouldn't be taken as an insult. You see the person called me "unprofessional". In trying to understand in what way I was unprofessional I realized that I had to go back to the definition of what professional is.
I realized that to be a professional is to get paid for what you do and to take on the quality of somebody who gets paid to do what they do implies a certain distance, a certain cold aspect. I then started to think about what it is to be a politician and why it is that we politicians have such a bad rap. Why it is that we are looked at with such disdain from the general public and considered to be such crooks, liars and hypocrites. I realized that it was because we were acting too professional. You see, politicians used to be passionate. Being a politician used to mean that you believed in something. And this is the way it should be, because what most politicians do now is they act like this is a job, and in the sense that we get paid for it, it is a job. But it should be something that we are willing to do for the betterment of the country; to the advancement of our society as a whole.
If politicians acted out of general compassion and consideration for all people in their jurisdiction our nation would be an entirely different place. We would not have had a Prime Minister Martin and we wouldn't even be considering a Prime Minister Ignatieff. The fact of the matter is volunteers, activists, community leaders, parents, all contribute to the composure of our communities and society as a whole with an unparalleled and unmeasurable value. Furthermore, when they carry out their tasks they do so more effectively, efficiently and diligently. Despite the fact that they don't get paid for the jobs that they do their attendance records are virtually untainted, whereas my local Member of Parliament (MP), Ken Dryden is only present in Parliament approximately half of the time, while we pay him $150,000 annually to represent the good people of York Centre. Now, I don't about you, but if I showed up to work 50% of the time I'd get 0% of the pay.
Thankfully, but unfortunately, I show up to my political work 100% of the time and as of yet get 0% of the pay because like so many of those volunteers, community leaders and parents, I am an activist committed to my task because of it's worth not because of the weight it puts in my pockets. That's why I have been working since January to earn your vote, your devotion, your commitment, your respect and I refuse to stop until I have achieved it.
I realized that to be a professional is to get paid for what you do and to take on the quality of somebody who gets paid to do what they do implies a certain distance, a certain cold aspect. I then started to think about what it is to be a politician and why it is that we politicians have such a bad rap. Why it is that we are looked at with such disdain from the general public and considered to be such crooks, liars and hypocrites. I realized that it was because we were acting too professional. You see, politicians used to be passionate. Being a politician used to mean that you believed in something. And this is the way it should be, because what most politicians do now is they act like this is a job, and in the sense that we get paid for it, it is a job. But it should be something that we are willing to do for the betterment of the country; to the advancement of our society as a whole.
If politicians acted out of general compassion and consideration for all people in their jurisdiction our nation would be an entirely different place. We would not have had a Prime Minister Martin and we wouldn't even be considering a Prime Minister Ignatieff. The fact of the matter is volunteers, activists, community leaders, parents, all contribute to the composure of our communities and society as a whole with an unparalleled and unmeasurable value. Furthermore, when they carry out their tasks they do so more effectively, efficiently and diligently. Despite the fact that they don't get paid for the jobs that they do their attendance records are virtually untainted, whereas my local Member of Parliament (MP), Ken Dryden is only present in Parliament approximately half of the time, while we pay him $150,000 annually to represent the good people of York Centre. Now, I don't about you, but if I showed up to work 50% of the time I'd get 0% of the pay.
Thankfully, but unfortunately, I show up to my political work 100% of the time and as of yet get 0% of the pay because like so many of those volunteers, community leaders and parents, I am an activist committed to my task because of it's worth not because of the weight it puts in my pockets. That's why I have been working since January to earn your vote, your devotion, your commitment, your respect and I refuse to stop until I have achieved it.
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