Hi Evan - thanks for the good read. In conflict management, the first step is to define the problem.
Only then can you create a solution. Unfortunately the Liberals can't even take the first step and acknowledge that there is a problem. Their "do more of the same" is just a reminder that they are hopeless .
The liberals are still the better choice then Pierre, get media and social media to stop sabotaging. I vote for democracy over fascism so my vote will never be for these far right conservatives. Non voters are our problem and that stupid old hate. People need to think policy over what we will lose under Pierre. Singh I can’t even think of him as a politician. He’s more of a internet influencer. If the liberals would turn off comments would be great. And if media gave every party a voice. Not one reports the bull of conservatives. And I’ve heard our PM isn’t staying much longer. 🤷♀️
Evan, first my (such as they are) bona fides. This is the first of your essays that I have read (i.e. new subscriber). I was aware that your bent is to the left (no pun intended) whereas my bent is slightly to the opposite direction. Okay, that is over.
I am of an age that I do remember Harold Wilson and Sunny Jim Callaghan; I also remember Arthur Scargill and his mine workers' strike that made Margaret Thatcher famous and him infamous. My point is that I worry about class warfare which forever (to me, at least) is a symbol of and enthusiastically embraced by much of the Left (note the capitalization there, please). Then again, you may disagree.
The title of your essay is "Canada's Winter of Discontent" and I think that that comparison you make is interesting as I am one of those who very much is convinced that the "Canada is broken" crowd is pretty much correct.
I offer to you a definition that is courtesy of the Oxford dictionary folks: "failed state (noun) a state whose political or economic system has become so weak that the government is no longer in control."
I look at our (in particular) federal government where I see corruption, malfeasance, arbitrary measures, absolute inability to get pretty much anything substantive done, inability to issue passports even, now the (intended) suppression of free speech (Online Harms Act) and so forth, I have to suggest that the title of your essay could be changed to "Failed State."
Oh, and by the way, I enjoyed your essay, in particular your historical references, because they were so apt. And because I am "of an age."
Very good article. Having lived in Canada for a long time, and now living in Germany again, I feel like the political situation in both Canada and Germany is rather similar. Both countries have unpopular incumbent governments, both centre-left, and the reasons for their unpopularity are somewhat similar (economic underperformance compared to most other Western countries, immigration is too high to handle, and environmental policies that are making energy and other things more expensive - though the latter is a bigger problem for Germany than in Canada arguably).
The way that supporters of the government in both Canada and Germany have reacted to its' critics is also rather similar. Instead of at least acknowledging that they might be reasonable for feeling angry about the current governments in Germany and Canada, they often attack them by calling them "fascist" or "uneducated", which surely just solidifies the position of the opponents of the government in not voting for them (it's really difficult to understand why so many on the left haven't learned the lessons from the Hillary campaign after calling her opponents' voters "deplorable"). And while both the current Canadian and German governments do occasionally offer broadly popular policies, as long as they are perceived to have caused the decline in living standards (even if it's not completely factual), they will not be successful in convincing people to vote for them again...
I'm not sure actually if there's any way out of their bad polling situation for the governments in either Germany or Canada , since their supporters are often convinced that their opponents are not just wrong but sometimes even morally defective persons, but if there's a way I don't think it's clear what it is currently... maybe an economic rebound, but that's mostly outside of the governments' control...
So maybe both LPC and NDP supporters in Canada, and the centre-left in Germany have to accept that most people in their countries simply don't want them in government anymore, and focus on rebuilding in opposition and heed the lessons from their time in government to see why they lost the trust of most voters...
Want one more reason why any, supposedly "progressive" who would vote for Poilievre because they are mad/annoyed/tired of Trudeau, should be punched in the face? He's a traitor. And by voting for him, so are you.
So, if I were to tell these supposed progressives who are going to vote for Poilievre that I am not happy with my insurance company, their advice would be to send them a message by burning down my own house. Have I got that right?
The Trudeau gov't is not perfect at all. And, yes I know people who feel let down. But, some of those very same people haven't lost their sanity or taken flight of their senses and are able to parse out where Trudeau has failed vs say Ford (or Smith, Moe etc.). Based on that assessment, Trudeau doesn't look so bad and in fact could be argued that his gov't has actually mitigated the effects of some of the worst policies pursued by conservative premiers.
Much of this discourse (including this column - sorry Evan) reads alot like a pamphlet from the Judean People's Front (aka The People's Front of Judea). "Asides from $10 daycare, pharmacare, dental care and ensuring people could pay their bills during COVID thru CERB cheques, what has this Liberal gov't ever done for you???". Plenty I'd say and I'll be voting for them again.
at this point I fear you will be writing another 100 versions of this column before anything changes in this government
the liberal party appears tired. they need new recruits desperately.
Hi Evan - thanks for the good read. In conflict management, the first step is to define the problem.
Only then can you create a solution. Unfortunately the Liberals can't even take the first step and acknowledge that there is a problem. Their "do more of the same" is just a reminder that they are hopeless .
Sadly, I agree with almost everything you wrote. I wonder, does anyone in the Liberal cabinet read your stuff? Hope so but fear not...
The liberals are still the better choice then Pierre, get media and social media to stop sabotaging. I vote for democracy over fascism so my vote will never be for these far right conservatives. Non voters are our problem and that stupid old hate. People need to think policy over what we will lose under Pierre. Singh I can’t even think of him as a politician. He’s more of a internet influencer. If the liberals would turn off comments would be great. And if media gave every party a voice. Not one reports the bull of conservatives. And I’ve heard our PM isn’t staying much longer. 🤷♀️
Evan, first my (such as they are) bona fides. This is the first of your essays that I have read (i.e. new subscriber). I was aware that your bent is to the left (no pun intended) whereas my bent is slightly to the opposite direction. Okay, that is over.
I am of an age that I do remember Harold Wilson and Sunny Jim Callaghan; I also remember Arthur Scargill and his mine workers' strike that made Margaret Thatcher famous and him infamous. My point is that I worry about class warfare which forever (to me, at least) is a symbol of and enthusiastically embraced by much of the Left (note the capitalization there, please). Then again, you may disagree.
The title of your essay is "Canada's Winter of Discontent" and I think that that comparison you make is interesting as I am one of those who very much is convinced that the "Canada is broken" crowd is pretty much correct.
I offer to you a definition that is courtesy of the Oxford dictionary folks: "failed state (noun) a state whose political or economic system has become so weak that the government is no longer in control."
I look at our (in particular) federal government where I see corruption, malfeasance, arbitrary measures, absolute inability to get pretty much anything substantive done, inability to issue passports even, now the (intended) suppression of free speech (Online Harms Act) and so forth, I have to suggest that the title of your essay could be changed to "Failed State."
Oh, and by the way, I enjoyed your essay, in particular your historical references, because they were so apt. And because I am "of an age."
Very good article. Having lived in Canada for a long time, and now living in Germany again, I feel like the political situation in both Canada and Germany is rather similar. Both countries have unpopular incumbent governments, both centre-left, and the reasons for their unpopularity are somewhat similar (economic underperformance compared to most other Western countries, immigration is too high to handle, and environmental policies that are making energy and other things more expensive - though the latter is a bigger problem for Germany than in Canada arguably).
The way that supporters of the government in both Canada and Germany have reacted to its' critics is also rather similar. Instead of at least acknowledging that they might be reasonable for feeling angry about the current governments in Germany and Canada, they often attack them by calling them "fascist" or "uneducated", which surely just solidifies the position of the opponents of the government in not voting for them (it's really difficult to understand why so many on the left haven't learned the lessons from the Hillary campaign after calling her opponents' voters "deplorable"). And while both the current Canadian and German governments do occasionally offer broadly popular policies, as long as they are perceived to have caused the decline in living standards (even if it's not completely factual), they will not be successful in convincing people to vote for them again...
I'm not sure actually if there's any way out of their bad polling situation for the governments in either Germany or Canada , since their supporters are often convinced that their opponents are not just wrong but sometimes even morally defective persons, but if there's a way I don't think it's clear what it is currently... maybe an economic rebound, but that's mostly outside of the governments' control...
So maybe both LPC and NDP supporters in Canada, and the centre-left in Germany have to accept that most people in their countries simply don't want them in government anymore, and focus on rebuilding in opposition and heed the lessons from their time in government to see why they lost the trust of most voters...
Want one more reason why any, supposedly "progressive" who would vote for Poilievre because they are mad/annoyed/tired of Trudeau, should be punched in the face? He's a traitor. And by voting for him, so are you.
https://twitter.com/TheJasonPugh/status/1768775747441746272
So, if I were to tell these supposed progressives who are going to vote for Poilievre that I am not happy with my insurance company, their advice would be to send them a message by burning down my own house. Have I got that right?
The Trudeau gov't is not perfect at all. And, yes I know people who feel let down. But, some of those very same people haven't lost their sanity or taken flight of their senses and are able to parse out where Trudeau has failed vs say Ford (or Smith, Moe etc.). Based on that assessment, Trudeau doesn't look so bad and in fact could be argued that his gov't has actually mitigated the effects of some of the worst policies pursued by conservative premiers.
Much of this discourse (including this column - sorry Evan) reads alot like a pamphlet from the Judean People's Front (aka The People's Front of Judea). "Asides from $10 daycare, pharmacare, dental care and ensuring people could pay their bills during COVID thru CERB cheques, what has this Liberal gov't ever done for you???". Plenty I'd say and I'll be voting for them again.
bingo.