ARTICLES

A Mix of Morality and Politics

USF Grad Shakes Up Canadian Political Scene

By Rich Kunz

Is the life of a politician essentially opposed to the life of virtue? This was a question posed by Jason Kenney, a Canadian member of parliament in a speech to a group of students at USF's Lone Mountain Campus on May 2nd. Kenney, an alumnus of USF, was brought back to campus by the College Republicans to speak to aspiring politicians.

The club's president, Steve Ambuul, explained, "We brought Jason out to speak to young Catholics itching to do something and become more politically active. Jason is an inspirational example of a good Catholic who saw his opportunities and worked hard enough to get where he is in an anti-religious political sphere."

At the age of 28, Kenney was elected to the Canadian Parliament. After three years he has made extensive headway into the political life. His list of accomplishments is impressive. He now serves as the shadow treasurer in Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, where he is responsible for critiquing the government's fiscal and economic policies. He is also caucus chairman of the United Alternative, an initiative to unite conservative parties in Canada; chairman of the parliamentary pro-life caucus; as well as the chairman of a national prime ministerial campaign. His candidate, Stockwell Day, has proposed Canada's first flat tax.

A pro-life advocate, Day has a track record as an economist. The New York Times: "In Canada, a social welfare nation that has more tax collectors than soldiers, Stockwell Day has commanded a fiscal revolution in his province in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. Mr. Day, the treasurer of Alberta, has eliminated the province's net debt, cut provincial income taxes to the nation's lowest levels, and plans next January to put into effect Canada's first flat tax on income, 11%."

But Kenney says that what drew him to the Day campaign is Day's commitment to pro-family principles. In a story conveyed by Kenney, Stockwell Day was beginning to gain momentum within the party. Part of this process was the primary debates, which were to be held on four consecutive Sundays. Being a Christian, Day refused to participate in these debates, knowing full well that such a decision would cost him the ticket. Kenney quoted Day as saying, "Jason, I have been a politician for 14 years, and have not worked a single Sunday. I will not begin to compromise my values at this stage of my political life." After Day was threatened with the loss of the ticket, the television stations revised the contract and changed the debates to Monday nights.

Along with his political campaigns, Kenney has served as a volunteer director to the National Foundation for Family Research, the Catholic Civil Rights League and Catholic Charities. McLean's Magazine has named him one of Canada's '100 Leaders of the Future' and the Financial Post Magazine calls him 'One of 21 Canadians to Watch in the 21st Century'.

Kenney opened his speech to the students with a caveat. "Politicians carry the weight of original sin and are also capable of heroic virtue. This power is dangerous. They are steeped in a vocation that has great temptation to the sin of pride. Politics is a tough life to keep close to your principles. Along with pride, one is constantly tempted to let the end justify the means, more so than in other walks of life. Even when it is a great end, one is tempted to cut corners to achieve it."

Kenney was initially opposed to the life of politics, believing that morality and politics are mutually exclusive. His life was changed when he read the Holy Father's encyclical, Evangelicum Vitae. Seeing that the Holy Father's notion of politics was a form of charity changed Kenney's perspective. "I felt compelled to enter politics as a vocation. I was called to politics, not qua politics, but as a form of charity as a promotion of the message of the Gospel of life."

Kenney balances this life with a constant prayer life. Jason has two pictures up on his wall. One of St Thomas More and English politician William Wilberforce. Kenney believes that More was the greatest statesman that ever lived. He quoted More, "I am the King's servant but God's First." Wilberforce spent 50 years trying to abolish slavery in the British empire; he saw abolition three days before his death. Kenney finds hope in Wilberforce's long planning in the defense of the dignity of human life. He points out that Canada's laws on abortion are treacherous. "Canada is a country that commits the greatest crimes to human life. We are second only to China where abortion is forced." Canada, under socialized medicine allows abortion at any stage in the pregnancy without any consent, either of a spouse or a parent. It is this defiant disrespect for human life that stirred Kenney to action.

Kenney summed up morality in politics as "the ability to obey your conscience but be pragmatic and prudent." The exercise of prudence has led Kenney to spend time educating himself in matters like tax policy. This has given him a platform that can appeal to the broadest constituency. His credits his expertise in tax policy as helping him gain the credibility to address moral issues. He has been ridiculed for speaking out on chastity, addressing abortion and having hospitals investigated that were known for performing partial-birth abortions. Kenney said, "A moral politician must be prepared for all indignities. A person of faith in politics, will be put on a pedestal and rocks and stones will be hurled at him." One such obstacle was when Kenney campaigned to have a teen group, who spoke out on abstinence, considered a charitable organization. The Canadian version of the IRS, who has granted this status to Planned Parenthood, concluded that the teens failed to consider both sides of the situation and denied their charitable status. Kenney's response to this was, "Should the Cancer Society promote the benefits of smoking?"

When asked by an attendee how he handled discouragement, Kenney responded, "I have to put discouragement out of my mind. It is not an option. My only option is to act on what I am. If I leave, there is no one behind me to fill my shoes. I feel compelled to fight on these issues. Hope is critical in politics."

When asked about his success in persuading others to his side, Kenney stated, "I did not persuade them, the truth did. I used the political strategy I gained at USF when I campaigned for student government. I took the truth and I built a pluralistic coalition around it." Jason was a leader of a group of students that sued USF for false representation. USF claimed to be Catholic yet failed to espouse the teachings of the Catholic Church. Kenney, who converted while at USF, was able to see the contradiction. USF began to fund campus organizations, which undermined the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Kenney concluded his speech with "'All that is needed for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing.' It is my prayer every night that God sends young reinforcements to the ranks. If we are to restore this culture, it is to be done by people of great courage and conviction."

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