I hear Graham Steele many Tuesday mornings on CBC radio, and I expected his book would be more of the same, informative but not especially substantial commentary. Then I picked it up on the Bookmobile and started reading, and I had to bring it home and finish it.
The book walks through Steele’s experience getting into and out of politics in Nova Scotia. It gives insights into the most common things, like how much case-work an MLA does, right down to the most powerful inner workings of government: the untold power of the Premier’s staff, the power of the Treasury Board, etc. (Steele says he would often enjoy quizzing the media on whether they knew who sat on the Treasury Board, which is the most powerful and most unnoticed committee of the provincial government.)
The deeper value of the book is a glimpse into the contrast between the idealistic enthusiasm which leads many good men and women into politics, vs. the “rules of the game” which they quickly feel forced to follow to gain re-election, and which suck all noble enthusiasm out of them.
As a Christian reader, my biggest take-away from the book is that we really need to pray for our elected representatives: they are under tremendous pressure and it is a miracle when they find the fortitude to make unpopular decisions.
Another take-away from it is Steele’s example of faithful disagreement: he resigned from Cabinet as Finance Minister out of protest over a big decision that was made against his wishes. However, he remained faithful to his party and his leader in doing so: he never spoke out against them publicly over that issue, and almost no one knew why he resigned until this book was published many years later. That’s a good example of how we can disagree and withdraw ourselves from those we disagree with, but still remain faithful to them.
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