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"You're obliged to pretend respect for people and institutions you think absurd. You live attached in a cowardly fashion to moral and social conventions you despise, condemn, and know lack all foundation." -Octave Mirbeau, the Torture Garden

A job posting you'll never see: WANTED: Progressively minded, trustworthy individuals to vie for available positions in the newly reformatted Canadian political system. Candidates must be multi-lingual and willing to work long hours. Applicant's sole occupational focus is the betterment of each and every individual in this country and improving the contributions this country can make on the world stage.

Perhaps I'm jaded (definitely) and bitter (whenever I can be) about politics in Canada. But the lack of enthusiasm on my part, and as far as I can tell on the part of many young people is the culmination of many things. Have you ever asked yourself, 'Are the smartest people leading the country?' And the natural progression, 'Why aren't the smartest people leading the country?' Is there any way to become involved in politics and not turn into a stereotypical politician? Is a career as a politician a rewarding and respected profession?

The prerequisites to becoming a politician can vary. You didn't have to be the high school president or have worn a party button on Election Day. Rather, it's better to arrive in politics from totally unrelated fields. Here are some examples: Former President Ronald Reagan was an actor; Premier Mike Harris was a golf pro and high school teacher; Gov. Jesse Ventura, a wrestler; the late Al Paladini worked as a car salesman; President George Bush Jr. was, among other things, a Major League Baseball team owner; and the late Doug Henning used to be a magician. I think there was even an exotic dancer that had a good showing in politics in Italy a few years ago. Don't kid yourself, it's not like these people were conscientiously honing their political intellects in their previous lines of work.

Political positions are inherently positions of power. A basic premise would be that we (the public) want the most astute and capable people wielding that power. Presently in Canada the current leaders and candidates we have to choose from do not fit that mould. To say that a political "old boys club" is a thing of the past might be ignoring the often self-serving nature of contemporary politics.

I would love to see the young and intelligent intervene in this cycle of political mediocrity and set things right.

What concerns me most is that many of you are far more intelligent than the majority of people involved in current leadership. The challenge is getting you, the potential political hot dates, an invitation to the prom.

Try this as inspiration and a call to action. Compare your resume with that of some current politicians. I know you'd stack up pretty well and you might only have limited work experience. For example, I'm guessing these low-lights wouldn't be found in your CV: Misplaced one billion dollars of company money, Impersonated my boss, Fornicated in my office, Embezzled stuff, and Caught on police video soliciting prostitutes and using drugs.

So why aren't there job postings inviting outsiders into the political fold? One reason is surely that the insiders don't want to relinquish the power that comes with their position. Frequently politicians jump from one party to the other because their old party is in dire straits. It's all in the name of prolonging political careers.

I'd hope that the young people who (to use an abused phrase) think they can make a difference aren't dissuaded from getting involved in politics because of the nature of the current system. Adding some perspective to this issue, Ralph Nader, a noted consumer advocate and presidential candidate in past U.S. elections, once said, "I hear young people saying that they're not turned on to politics, and I tell them that if you do not turn on to politics, politics will turn on you." jp