Difficult Decisions
Parliamentarians are responsible to both citizens and their parties. Senators represent regions, and Members of Parliament (MPs) represent people in their constituencies. Some parliamentarians sit as independents, but most are members of political parties.
Think
If you were a parliamentarian, what would you see as the challenges of representing both your political party and the views of your citizens?
Locate
Locate a story in the news about a Senator or an MP who may disagree with his/her party over an issue.
Identify
Identify the issue.
What is the party’s position on the issue?
What is the parliamentarian's position on the issue?
Determine
Determine what options are available to the parliamentarian that could resolve the conflict.
Which solution would you recommend? Why?