To say that I was happy with the results of Monday’s federal election is only partially true, as I was one of only a few predicting such a result.
The NDP failing to elect even 12 members to preserve party status notwithstanding, there were way too many questions NOT being asked by politicians, pollsters and media “heavies” that should have been obvious from the start of the campaign, not the least of which is why the media is giving Donald Trump so much “credit” for having produced the membership in our next parliamentary House. It was Poilievre’s constant Hate Campaign against former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over a three year period that caused a 25 point favourability polling gap to simply disappear once it was decided to bring former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney in to replace Trudeau.
Even from that outset, and even then realizing that Trump’s threats to either annex Canada or make it the U.S. 51st state would be the principal concern of voters going into an election that could wait until October, Carney would have precious little time to demonstrate his leadership and crisis management skills to Canadian voters should he decide to call an election in April. This was my major concern at the time, a sentiment becoming even more disturbing considering that three premiers, Ford, Moe and Smith were all too eager to question his anticipated role in leading a “Team Canada” approach into an economic war with Donald Trump. Thus, based upon these concerns, in my March 8th column I predicted a minority government with absolutely no change in the alignment of allies “pro” or “con” to the Liberals, albeit but to have a much better alignment of MP’s from across Canada, and now includes former provincial NDP MLA Buckley Belanger running as a Liberal in northern Saskatchewan.
Since that election, numerous “heavies” in political commentary, including Montreal journalist and CBC political panelist Chantel Hebert have suggested that with the “collapse” of NDP support across Canada, future campaigns would only have two legitimate choices for Parliament: Liberals on the left, Conservatives on the right, matching the U.S. Democrats (left) and Republicans (right). I don’t buy into that conclusion; to me, this election was nothing more than a déjà vu replication of 2015, when we finally rid ourselves of Stephen Harper’s economy-crippling regime.
Readers of this column may recall my many references to Pierre Poilievre when he was a member of Harper’s Cabinet I 2015, and responsible for the creation of a travesty call “The Fair Elections Act”. This document was so focused upon disenfranchising voters least likely to vote “Conservative”, particularly Indigenous persons living on reserve, that the Assembly of First Nations leadership made it a point to encourage Indigenous community voters to participate in the federal election, something they’d never done before.
Despite Thomas Mulcair’s NDP leading in the polls at the time, the Liberal Party, sensing its own extinction, began promoting an “ABC” campaign (Anyone but Conservative) advising voters to “strategically” vote for the “progressive” candidate, whether Liberal or NDP, that had the better chance of defeating a Harper candidate. The result: Justin Trudeau became our Prime Minister.
Many voices will argue that NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s inability to “sell” himself to the electorate was the reason for the NDP voter collapse, when in reality their legislative achievements – Pharmacare, Dentacare, and $10 a day daycare among them – are overwhelmingly accepted by Canadians and represent the strongest social justice legislation being passed by Parliament in over 50 years. However, Conservatives, and particularly those associated with the old Reform movement consider such amenities to be “frills”, and won’t even say a quiet “Thank you”, even though Canadian taxpayers contributed over $35 billion to the creation of the Trans Mountain pipeline to move Alberta resources to overseas market.
Not unlike Trump in 2020, when he claimed that his re-election as President had been “stolen” from him, right-wing apologists are now suggesting that Poilievre’s failure to be re-elected in Carleton was a result of a Liberal-led “conspiracy” to run over 85 non-politically affiliated candidates against him in the riding, resulting in a Liberal victory. To such theorists, Poilievre’s propensity to insult, demean and constantly attack his foes, including media reporters constantly questioning his support for the Carbon Convoy leadership are just his way of demonstrating that he IS “capable” of becoming a Canadian combat veteran in the nation’s future economic war with Trump’s MAGA herds.
As for the two premiers who continue to question Carney’s ability to lead Canadians in this “war”, Saskatchewan’s Scott Moe and Alberta’s Danielle Smith, they are already making plans to enact legislation that would allow their provinces to vote on whether or not to secede from Canada, as Quebec did following the appointment of another Trudeau to prime ministership. To this threat, Carney has asked King Charles to deliver the Speech from the Throne of Parliament when it reopens on May 26. The choice of King Charles to perform this role hinges on Canada’s well-documented right to be judged as a nation of good standing within the international community, as such sovereignty was delivered to this nation by Great Britain – a point even Donald Trump’s MAGA advisors cannot deny save for conquest through war. As well, this choice also serves notice to both Moe and Smith that the Treaties 6, 7 an 8 as negotiated with Britain also fall within this sacred domain of international law.
All of these factors suggest that there exists a role for the NDP to continue formulating progressive laws for benefit of all Canadians. As for the role members of the NDP played in lending their votes to Liberal counterparts in many ridings across Canada, they KNOW that the public has frowned upon their seemingly constant support for the Liberals in minority rule, even when their policies are met with some resistance in the NDP caucus.
What these members did for Canada was to hold their noses, entered the polling booths and voted “Liberal” candidate – as they did in 2015.
In so doing, they have reinvigorated true Canadians to believe that in its upcoming battle with an almost overpowering foe this is now the Trump version of the United States to survive his lust for power.
