The media circus that encircles Parliament Hill most days of the year is in an uproar. Tradition, reporters claim, has gone out the window with the swearing-in of Stephen Harper’s Conservative government. Cabinet ministers have been instructed to limit any comments made to the press to the five campaign priorities identified by the party brass during the election. Any and all communication must be vetted by the Prime Minister’s Office. It is a strange step to take for a party that pledged to govern with transparency and suggested that individual Members of Parliament would have more latitude to speak (and vote) their minds. 

Still, the concerns expressed by the Parliamentary press gallery seemed detached from our reality in Jasper. An insular tempest in an Ottawa teapot. That’s before we had a chance to interview Yellowhead MP Rob Merrifield on one of the more pressing issues facing this riding — the labour shortage, and attempts to improve the supply of workers by streamlining the visa process for temporary foreign workers. During the election campaign, Merrifield had been eager to discuss the matter, identifying it as a priority. Having been re-elected, and this time around as a part of the new government, surely he would be able to update us on the progress the Conservatives were making on this crucial file. Not so much.

In fact, Merrifield offered little, save for mentioning that the minister responsible was aware. Then, our man in Ottawa swung the conversation towards a discussion of the difficulties and costs of deporting and prosecuting criminals who might come to Canada looking for work as chambermaids or cherry pickers. 

We have no evidence that Merrifield was told by the PMO to limit his comments on matters not directly related to the Conservative short-list of hot topics. Nor is there a direct link to indicate that he was instructed to draw any conversation towards one of those priority areas (Stephen Harper’s commitment to get tough on crime, for example).

Frankly, however, it doesn’t matter if Merrifield was told to narrow his sights or decided to do so of his own accord. It’s unfortunate.

While it is a good thing to have priorities, it’s altogether irresponsible, and in fact rather foolish, to slavishly ignore other matters of regional, national and international importance in the name of topics perceived to have greater electoral traction. 

Canadians voted for a slim Conservative minority this January, and Stephen Harper made a strategic decision to forgo his Liberal predecessor’s willy-nilly approach in favour of a greater degree of focus. However, there is a fine line between advantageous single-mindedness and problematic simple-mindedness. Rob Merrifield has ignored this line by declining the opportunity to comment more concretely on what his governing party is doing about an issue of importance to many in this region. He should remember that in the end, the people with the ultimate say are his constituents, and not his caucus.