Though Canada’s richer than the EAC put together, it’s something to teach. It spends public funds carefully. In some provinces, ministers drive their own cars; and whoever breaks the law is dealt with uniformly. The Canadian Press (18 March, 2017) quoted Alberta’s Service Minister, Stephanie McLean, as saying “it is certainly important for us to show a different face, a different government, one that cares about every dollar and cent that is being spent and to follow through on that commitment by letting interested parties know how it is being spent without going through a lengthy freedom of access request.” Joshing apart, Alberta is the richest province in Canada with the GDP of C$78,154 (richest.com, 13 May, 2013) thanks to producing oil and farm produces. With such a GDP, Alberta dwarfs many countries including Western ones. For example, according to the statisticstimes.com, 22 February, 2017) Germany, the strongest economy in the EU, had the GDP of US$ 40, 952. Despite such opulence, Alberta still forces its ministers to drive their cars. I don’t know if this makes sense to our chauffeur-driven prone biggies. Again, this, among others, shows why Africa has remained poor. We tend to blame our former colonial monsters for exploiting our countries. Ironically, we’ve never applied the same rationale to our homegrown colonial masters who form big governments to reward their friends on our expenses. You can’t do that in Canada.
Regarding how to treat ministers, Canada’s a lot for the EAC to learn. In 2008, former Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador Dan Williams was in hot soup after a mere junior police officer caught him talking on his phone while driving contrary to the law of his Province. He admitted the wrong; and things were straightened up. What an ideal behaviour! Guess what’d have happen had it been in Tanzania, Kenya or Uganda. Wouldn’t this cop be putting his finger on fire by arresting the PM? How many of our biggies are ready to lead by example like this gentleman? I’m trying to imagine a police apprehending a minister for either speeding or not wearing strap in the streets of Dar, Kampala or Nairobi. It is totally unthinkable. If, on earth, there’s a cop one can comfortably do business with, is no other than a Canadian one. So, too, Canada’s a good place to be a cop. Differently from our cops, Canadian cops are highly education. Currently, one of the qualities one must have to join Canadian Police Force is that a person must have a university degree.
By being highly educated, Canadian police are able to work professionally by upholding civil and human rights. They are not trigger-happy like the ones I know. On one too many occasions, Canadian police are renowned for their accountability and professionalism. What about ours? Aren’t they renowned for brutality, sleaze and trigger happiness? The Daily Nation (23 February, 2017) quoted the Amnesty International 2016-2017 report indicating that Kenya took a lion share in shootings and killings of civilians with a total of 122 killings out of 177 reported in Africa for the year 2016. This isn’t all. For, the report says that the figures in Kenya are higher thanks to the “lack of official database of police killings or enforced disappearances.” As for Canada, according to the CBC (24 Nov., 2016), police shot 18 people of whom 9 died. The city of Calgary was ranked high with 10 shootings of which 5 people died; followed by Toronto with 6 shootings of which 3 dies and Vancouver 2 shootings of which 1 person died. As for our southern neighbour, the US, according to the ibtimes.com (25 Sept., 2016) there were 708 fatalities resulting from police shooting in which 173 were African Americans. This means that you have ten times of being killed in the US if you are black. Therefore, if you are black living in the US must take note. For trigger happy US police, the slogan is: If it looks, walks, quacks like a duck, it is a duck. Oddly, our governments and police have never appreciated the fact that it is the same citizens police are shooting or ordered to intimidate that pick the tab in paying their salaries and recompenses!
Canadian police aren’t only good at their job but they are also rewarded for that. The Globe and Mail (6 Sept., 2012) discloses that “a first-class officer in Canada’s big cities now earns C$80,000-C$90,000 a year on average–before overtime and benefits. That makes them among the most generously compensated police in the world” thus, have no reasons to be corrupt.
Source: Citizen, today.
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