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"THE GOVERNMENT
 IS THE SERVANT
 OF THE PEOPLE
 AND NOT ITS MASTER"

Winston Churchill
Oslo 1948

Chairman's Message

By Daniel Tisch

Volume 17 Issue 1 Spring 2005

There is today more debate about Canada’s Parliamentary democracy than at any time in recent memory. Several provinces are contemplating change to their electoral systems; B.C. has become the first to hold an election on a fixed four-year cycle; and there is a sense that no matter which party wins the next federal election, the cry for systemic reform in Ottawa will be long and loud.

The Churchill Society welcomes this trend, but not because we intend to support or oppose specific reforms. Our mandate as a registered charity is to honour Sir Winston Churchill’s life and work by fostering education, discussion and debate about democracy.

In the past year, we have pursued this goal aggressively. We’ve heard compelling presentations from both current and former politicians — including Peter MacKay, Dwight Duncan, Michael Bryant, Joe Clark, Sean Conway and John Turner.

We have helped to celebrate Canada’s democratic heritage by raising funds for educational plaques and other improvements to the area surrounding the Churchill statue at Nathan Phillips Square.

And we now offer a growing array of educational programs for students and teachers with an interest in history, politics and democracy. These include bursaries, sponsorships and competitions for writing and public speaking on these subjects.

I’m pleased to report that 2005-06 will be even more exciting.

As always, the highlight of the year should be the annual Churchill Society dinner — now booked for Saturday November 19th. We are excited to bring one of the world’s most famous political journalists to Toronto; not only is Chris Matthews the host of CNBC’s Hardball, but he is also a passionate Churchillian. We will also present the Award for Excellence in the Cause of Parliamentary Democracy to the Honourable Allan Lawrence — a distinguished minister and MP at both Queen’s Park and Ottawa. Mark your calendars!

I believe that Churchill would approve of events that feature both politicians and journalists, since he excelled at both trades. That’s what led him to say: “History will bear me out, particularly as I shall write that history myself.”

We can’t all be so talented, but we can take inspiration by continuing his work to advance Parliamentary democracy. And we will.