Ninety Two: Small Government

Yesterday I received the receipt for my 2009 property tax payment from the Rural Municipality of Souris Valley No. 7, Saskatchewan, Canada. The tax payment is for land which my grandfather, "Original Tom" homesteaded in 1904. Not only was the receipt hand-signed by the Administrator, Jo Ann Larsen, but Jo Ann also included a 400 word "note" filling me in on her surgery, her new grandchild, and the centennial anniversary party for the RM last summer. Obviously, my family's ownership of the land predates the organization of the RM government. Many of the original settlers (O'Donnell, Sampson, Forrester, Ordahl, Bloor), still have descendants on the land.

This transaction with our local government is a stark and shocking illustration of how completely disconnected our modern governance has become from its original conception. The idea that government is supposed to "serve" the people has been turned upside down. Our governments now exist to be "served by" the electorate. Governments are now malevolent bodies which foster ill will and malice. They harm the people. They are arrogant and self-serving. Can this trend be reversed? I think not.