Looking After our Political Body

LOOKING AFTER OUR POLITICAL BODY WITH CONSENSUSBASED DECISIONMAKING

Sonia Furstenau, MLA for Cowichan Valley, (250) 7152792 Sonia.Furstenau. MLA@leg.bc.ca

My fellow MLAs and I are heading back to the legislature in February. Instead of a conflict-driven approach, we would serve better if we could adopt a consensus-building and collaborative approach. Consensus-building is about process, and not simply outcomes. When we travel through a consensus-oriented process, we are likely to come out with a sense of caring, respect, and cooperation for our fellow decision-makers, knowing that we have listened respectfully and that we have been respected in our sharing. When we go through a decision-making process in a conflict-driven, adversarial way, we are more likely to come out with feelings of disrespect, resentment, and polarization. These feelings stifle future possibilities for collaboration, discourage transparency and information sharing, and lead to higher fences, rather than stronger bridges.

Among the majority governments of recent years, including the present one, it is this adversarial approach that is most characteristic. The pattern is one of less transparency, less accountability, less willingness to provide clear and straightforward answers to questions, and less room for debate.

This ‘my way, or the highway’ approach is visible outside the legislature as well, and has become increasingly severe in its various manifestations. The deterioration of kindness and respect towards our fellow community members was perhaps most heart achingly visible in the protests at the BC legislature that included the hanging in effigy of Premier John Horgan, Minister Mike Farnworth, and Minister Adrian Dix.

While we can and ought to quarrel with government and government decision making, it should never cross the line to the hateful, vicious, and inhumane. These actions serve only to deepen the dividing lines, and to close hearts and minds.

The last two years have been challenging for all of us, given the ever-present pandemic, the decline of our natural world, our communities impacted by climate disasters, and a growing number of people having difficulty meeting their basic needs. What we need now more than ever is to lead with love and compassion.

When we lead with love, and make decisions together in ways that are kind, respectful, and inclusive of those affected, the outcomes are better. How we do things constitutes what we ultimately create. Like our own bodies, our political bodies should also strive for ‘heart health’. Governance should be rooted in service to the communities we love. When we act in concert with our fellow community members and decision-makers in the spirit of love, understanding, and respect, we make decisions that are kinder, wiser, and more just. This is what I will continue to hold in my heart as I return to Victoria, and I will encourage my colleagues to do the same.