I returned to Vancouver from a brief (and well-deserved) holiday out of the country to learn that provincial Liberal and NDP MLAs had colluded on a snap vote to award themselves substantial salary and pension increases, only to reverse themselves a few days later after sustained public outrage.

The reasons for the public reaction have been well-documented, and I need not repeat them here. However, this sorry episode is yet another example of how politics has become a dishonourable profession. As I learned some twenty years ago when I was active in a major political party, the field of politics is dominated by persons motivated by naked self-interest and personal ambition. This ugly behaviour can be found at at every level, with the federal Liberals’ Adscam mess being the most egregious recent example.

Any Canadian seeking to make a public contribution, to actually attempt to make a difference in the lives of his or her fellow citizens, would be well advised to stay far away from the cesspools of Ottawa and Victoria.