Would you rather be governed by a listerner or an authoritarian?

I've got a little point to add to Boris's latest excellent post.

This was noted in the quoted report: (emphasis mine)

But Emerson was also impressed by Harper’s discipline at the cabinet table, compared with Martin’s disorganized leadership style, where meetings dragged on.

“Paul would just sit there and let this go on,” Emerson said.

“So you could be in the cabinet meeting from nine till noon, no problem at all, and really nothing would happen other than people would download their views. In the Harper cabinet, you really did not intervene unless you had something to say. The cabinet meetings were short and succinct, far more disciplined, far more organized.”

In other words there was no discussion in Harper's cabinet. Decisions had already been made. There was and is no such thing as representation at the table. Martin may have let cabinet meetings go on at length but he was doing what real leaders do - they listen.

One learns more by listening than simply laying down the law. Governance is not about imposing one's views on a country. Governance is about finding a way to give the majority the authority to exercise their will without marginalizing the minority. A good leader will always pay attention to interventions and temper legislative actions to achieve consensus. It isn't easy, but it's not supposed to be. The man is being handed big bucks and an obscene array of regal perks by us peasants to get it right every bloody time.

To Harper, that's a waste of time. In his mind he already knows what's best. And he knows that because he has never believed in anyone but himself and anyone who presents an opinion or a view which he doesn't share is an enemy to be destroyed.

That is a dictator.

Our fore bearers spent thousands of lives, a national treasure and six years of brutal warfare to rid the world of a megalomaniac that took over a different national government in exactly the same way.

So, do we suffer the same indignity of 30 years of rebuilding and shame or do we we reclaim our place on the world stage as the honest broker - a country represented by listeners?

Decide now. Time is rapidly wearing off the clock.