Simmer down.
It鈥檚 what our teachers used to tell us when we were misbehaving.
And it appears it鈥檚 what politicians and stakeholders behaving like unmanageable petulance children now need to hear.
Some might argue they鈥檝e always behaved this way, but it sure feels different. It鈥檚 gotten really bad.
Petty complaints. Nasty name-calling. Ceaseless grievances. Perpetual outrage. And an arrogant refusal to listen to the other side always deemed to be stupid, immoral or unworthy. This is not good.
Yes, there鈥檚 a sitting minority Parliament in Ottawa and the Saskatchewan legislature resumes this week. That a non-confidence vote could happen any day spurring another nasty federal election and that the Saskatchewan legislature is in its last sitting before the next general election heightens tensions.
But what鈥檚 so different is the animosity is no longer confined to our political chambers or our elected politicians. It seems to be everybody and it sure seems everywhere.
And it鈥檚 pretty much remained at this manic level since the last federal election 鈥� or even long before, at least going back to the federal Liberal government implementation of the carbon tax.
About the only thing you can say is today鈥檚 childish antics know no political philosophy. Petty politics cuts across party lines today politicians and stakeholders seem to assume that鈥檚 how we want to see them do business these days.
Far too often, it鈥檚 the opposite of what most of us want.
For example, the Saskatchewan NDP recently got back a freedom of information request in what is another episode of childish behaviour on both sides.
It is childishly that Saskatchewan Party government has been charging thousands of dollars in FOI costs for basic information on cabinet ministers鈥� travel and other expenses that should be public without cost. Perhaps the government is doing this because past travel FOI has uncovered somewhat questionable choices.
However, the information Deputy Premier and Education Minister Gord Wyant eventually handed over had very little that would be considered untoward, other that maybe a couple $60 dinners with local Saskatoon MLA David Buckingham. He shouldn鈥檛 be paying for MLAs鈥� suppers.
But who would begrudge Wyant submitting a $9.77 coffee receipt for a coffee meeting with his deputy minister?
Well, the NDP, that鈥檚 who.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very small amount but you have to take this in the larger context,鈥� said NDP education critic Carla Beck, bemoaning the stalled negotiations with the provinces teachers who have been known to buy classroom supplies not funded by school board budgets.
Education is underfunded but complaining about $9.77 this seems to be about silliest, pettiest way to make that point.
It really doesn鈥檛 seem to matter whether the issue is big or small. Complex issues requiring thoughtful consideration are even more likely to be drowned out by angry hollering from side or other.
Consider Teck Frontier鈥檚 decision not to go ahead with its massive oilsands project. Yes, it鈥檚 about 鈥渞egulatory uncertainty鈥�, but the company spelled that most of the uncertainty is about the feasibility of heavy oil when investors want greener energy and when oil is at potentially unprofitable $50-plus a barrel.
Or consider some First Nation spokespeople arguing the rail blockades are necessary because 鈥渨hite settlers鈥� don鈥檛 understand nothing has changed in the last 150 years.
Well, some things have changed. Since 1992, Saskatchewan First Nations, alone, have received $1.23 billion in land claim settlements _ $952 million from the federal government and $273 million from the province.
Add $2 billion in residential school survivor compensation, federal settlement and apologies for the Sixties Scoop and gaming framework agreements worth hundreds of millions.
Sure, more has to be done and it鈥檚 not perfect. There are always problems to fix.
But maybe if stopped all the hollering, we鈥檇 see things aren鈥檛 as broken as we think.
