A man decided to run for public office and approached the village Chief, seeking his support. He requested a meeting with local farmers, and the Chief kindly agreed to arrange one so that the candidate could present his agenda to the community—what he would do for them if they voted for him.
The Chief
arranged a meeting for Saturday afternoon, which was the ideal time, as village
farmers take a break before returning to their work in the cooler evening
hours. The candidate promised the Chief, along with his senior and junior
wives, that if the Chief endorsed him and the people voted for him, he would
build a hospital, schools, kindergartens, football fields, and roads to help
farmers access the main city’s market, among other developments.
On Saturday
afternoon, the villagers gathered, and the Chief introduced the candidate,
informing them of his intention to represent them in the national parliament.
The Chief said he supported the candidate because he believed he would bring
economic prosperity to the community but emphasized that the villagers should
hear directly from the candidate. The candidate stood up and outlined his
vision for the village, including the construction of a hospital, schools,
kindergartens, football fields, a community center, roads connecting farmers to
the main market, and other improvements.
As is customary
in many African communities, when the Chief endorses a candidate, no one
opposes him, and everyone simply follows the Chief’s lead. This was the case,
and the candidate was elected to represent the village in the national
parliament. Once elected, the candidate left the village and became accustomed
to city life, not returning for more than five years. He never implemented any
of the promised projects and completely forgot his pledges to the community.
When his first
term ended and the election date approached, he returned to the village and
immediately went to the Chief, informing him that he planned to run for a
second term and would appreciate the Chief’s support once again. He asked the
Chief to arrange another meeting with the villagers so he could convince them
to vote for him again. The Chief agreed, saying, “No problem; I’ll arrange a
meeting for you with the village residents on Saturday afternoon.”
The candidate
thanked the Chief and left, but a few minutes later, he returned, saying,
“Chief, I realized you didn’t specify where we will meet.” The Chief calmly
replied, “We will meet in the school you built for us.”
The message was
clear: the Chief was signaling that he would not be supporting the candidate
this time. The candidate’s failure to fulfill his promises had removed any
trust the Chief or the villagers might have had in him. The story illustrates
how many politicians, especially during election seasons, make grand promises
to win votes, only to abandon those promises once they are in power. After they
win, they disappear, leaving the people who trusted them behind.
This scenario
mirrors what will happen in the upcoming federal elections in Canada in the
spring of 2025, especially within the Afro-Canadian and Afro-Caribbean
communities. Many dishonest politicians and MPs will offer false hope to secure
diaspora votes, only to betray those same communities once they gain office.
Once in power, these politicians disappear from the communities they promised
to help, making themselves unreachable by phone or email, and failing to attend
community rallies or support the suffering populations in countries such as
Haiti, Chad, Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and
others.
The Afro-Canadian
MPs, in particular, have a disappointing track record in supporting
Afro-Canadian diaspora projects and events like Kwanzaa or advocating for
economic development in Africa and the Caribbean. Some MPs have even gone as
far as discouraging African youth from seeking a better life in Canada,
advising them that Canada is not a good place to be. It is shocking to see that
in many cases, your own face is missing from their offices.
In the upcoming
federal elections, it is crucial to vote based on rationality, conscience, and
the track record of MPs. Do not vote for MPs with a negative history in the
expatriate community. Diaspora members must not be swayed by empty promises or
false hope. Politicians who do not genuinely represent the people should be
avoided. In essence, some MPs do not represent the people; they represent
themselves opportunistically through the people’s votes. Don’t be fooled or
duped. The recommendation is to vote carefully for politicians who embody the
core principles of the Afro-Canadian and Afro-Caribbean diaspora and are
genuinely committed to making a positive difference in African-descendant
communities while advocating for Africa and the Caribbean. It appears that many
new Afro-Canadian MPs in the Canadian Parliament have absorbed the flawed
thinking of the old political guard, dating back to early 2003.
The key message
for the Afro-Canadian and Afro-Caribbean diaspora is to take the initiative and
represent themselves in the national parliament. It’s time to stop being
followers and instead create our own opportunities for change. The
Afro-Canadian diaspora must become active participants in the political
structure of power. To accomplish this, diaspora members must organize, unite,
and develop a common agenda. Leaders of Afro-Canadian organizations should
meet, build trust, and work together to create a unified purpose. The diaspora
should educate its members on civic engagement, political participation, party
membership, fundraising, campaign strategies, and canvassing. The time for
complaints is over. It is time for action.
I also want to
share my negative experiences with the majority of current Afro-Canadian and
Afro-Caribbean MPs. As many of you know, I run an internship program for
African heritage students in Canadian universities. In May 2024, I reached out to all the current Afro-Canadian MPs,
offering my support for the initiative and offering to assist with placing
interns for the summer. Only one of out the seven Liberal MPs responded
positively, and the single PC MP did not respond at all. The only Liberal MP
who did reply agreed to meet with the interns' board and promised to share the
interns’ resumes with colleagues for potential summer jobs. However, after
sending the resumes and cover letters to his office in May, the board never
heard back from him. The Board Chair and program coordinator attempted to
contact his offices multiple times but received no response. This clearly shows
the lack of regard the MP had for the Afro-Canadian community, and its
initiatives, the professors and the community leaders.
The reality is
that the enemy of the Afro-Canadian diaspora often resides within the diaspora
itself. The current Afro-Canadian MPs and Senators have disappointing records
when it comes to issues affecting the diaspora, Africa, and the Caribbean.
Liberal MPs:
- Hedy Frey
- Michael Coteau
- Emmanuel Dubourg
- Greg Fergus, First Afro-Canadian
Speaker of the House
- Ahmed Hussein
- Merci Ien &
- Arielle Kayabaga
PC MP:
- Leslyn Ann Lewis
Senators:
- Bernadette Clement
- Amina Gerba
- Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard
- Sharon Burey
- Marie-Françoise Mégie
- Paulette Senior &
- Suze Youance
Surprisingly,
the internship program received strong support from non-Afro-Canadian MPs such
as Hon. Yasir Naqvi and Chandra Arya, who have been great friends of the
Afro-Canadian and Afro-Caribbean diaspora. They are always available to meet,
listen, and support diaspora initiatives—something the Afro-Canadian MPs have
largely failed to do. Both Yasir and
Chandra are following footsteps of the late Hon. David Kilgour, PC., M.P., Hon.
Jason Kenney, M.P., Dr. Maurice Vellacott, M.P., Prof. Irwin Colter, M.P.,
Vivian Barbot, M.P., Hon. Stockwell Day, M.P., Hon. Chuck Strahl, M.P., Alexa
McDonough, M.P., Francine Lalonde, M.P, and Anthony Dube.
In my own
experience, I visited my own MPs’ constituency offices in Hull over three
times, requesting meetings, and yet received no response.
When I last visited, I made it clear to the MP's assistant that the MP would
need to earn my support, the support of my diaspora communities if he expected our
votes in the next election-it is payback time.
The reality is
that some MPs who were voted in have distanced themselves from the communities
that elected them. They do not return, they do not listen, and they do not care
about the people who helped them get into office.
The Harper
government, led by Hon. Jason Kenney, demonstrated a strong commitment to the
Afro-Canadian diaspora, working closely with the community and the internship
program. Minister Kenney fully supported the initiative in 2008 and 2009,
hiring 40 interns for paid summer positions and support the vision and
objectives of African diaspora Association of Canada (ADAC)—a stark contrast to
the neglect shown by some current MPs.
The goal here is
to provide evidence-based facts and lessons learned to help the diaspora make
informed decisions and avoid being deceived by politicians who take the
Afro-Canadian diaspora votes for granted. The enemy of the diaspora is often
found within the diaspora itself. Education is key to preventing future failure
(My people will perish due to a
lack of education-Hosea 6:4). It’s now up to the
diaspora to make the necessary changes for the benefit of future generations.
In conclusion,
the time has come for Afro-Canadians to take an active role in the national
parliamentary system. The diaspora must organize, unite, and develop a unified
agenda. Afro-Canadian organizations must work together, educate their
communities, and focus on positive actions rather than complaints. The time for
entertainment and inaction is over. It is time for change.
© Hüstin Läkü, SR
Is a graduate of Institute of Federalism, University of Fribourg, Switzerland, Former staff member of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq, advisor to Hon. David Kilgour, M.P, P.C., Secretary of State for Africa and Latin America in Ottawa, Canada, an international Observer South Sudan Peace Talks in 2014 in Addis Ababa, and Co-founder of the Canadian Friends of Sudan.
