One of the favourite pastimes of Canadians is to complain about our government. So, how would Canadian society be changed if politicians got into their political office based essentially on their intelligence? What kinds of benefits would come from our government of geniuses? In this essay, I will try to answer these questions, by focusing mainly on how the three powers of our government (legislative, executive and judiciary) would be changed.

How Laws Would be Made

Most smart people hate to waste, and I think that the first action taken by the intelligent government would be to make the process of law making more efficient. The need for a law to get the Royal Assent would be eliminated, as it is mostly symbolic and would be viewed as a waste of time. The Senate would be stream- lined. Senators would no longer be protected from being fired, and the number of Senators would be cut down to a minimum very quickly.

Laws, however, would not be passed much more quickly. The smart government would be very afraid of passing unreasonable laws, for fear of appearing stupid. If they got their office based on intelligence, passing a law that wasn't well thought out and reviewed over and over would be a direct threat to their jobs.

The laws that were passed would be based on giving the average Canadian a high potential for living a good life. Canadians who knew the law system and who could keep up with the changes and new laws would be able to take advantage of the law system, and reap many advantages. Those who were ignorant of the laws would continue to lead the same life they did before.

Things that aren't under law now would be regulated. For example, laws might be passed about fitness and health; individuals who were considered a danger to themselves (i.e. at a high risk of heart attack etc.) could be required to follow a program of proper diet and exercise.

How Laws Would Be Administered

How these new laws would be enforced, I think, wouldn't be changed greatly. The way the police forces are divided may be changed; instead of being the police force of Sault Ste Marie, it would be the Sault Ste. Marie sector of the Ontario division of the Canadian police force. This inter-relation of departments would improve the efficiency of how crimes or other protective actions that involved multiple regions of Canada would be handled.

Having civilians defending themselves would be discouraged more than it is now. I think the new government would want to be as important as possible in the area of protecting its citizens, even if only for their egos.

How Offenders of The Law Would Be Punished

Again, as with the other areas of the government, the intellectual politicians would try to eliminate as much unnecessary paper work and symbolic signatures as possible. They would be, in a way, contradictory to themselves, too. They would encourage judges to give harsher penalties, but would also make legislation that would entice law breakers to enter programs where the criminals would be put to work. This would change the offenders from used-up space in a jail to a person who is, at least a little bit, useful to society. They would be working for the room and board supplied by the jails. The geniuses would love the money-saving advantages of these programs!

The budget would be improved a lot, too. What prodigy wouldn't be proud of reducing the deficit? A politician's ability to get rid of the debt, by other means than cutting programs that are needed by the Canadian public, would be a huge selling point on why a politician should get a position.

These are some of the ways our lives could be changed if politicians got into their offices based on their I.Q., as opposed to their ability to lie, play a good game of semantics, pretend to have an opinion and a good reason for that opinion on everything, and be charismatic about it all at the same time.