Evan, I frequently do not agree with your prescriptions on various things but I fully support what you are saying. Further, your commentary is fit for ANY government, no matter the political stripe.
I offer two further comments.
First, Brian Mulroney was famous for his one on one discussions with his backbenchers. Those conversations - and the fact that he actually LISTENED to those backbenchers - served him very well when the public turned against him and his caucus remained terrifically loyal. In other words, communication is not only a political skill, it is a survival mechanism.
Second, [amplifying on one of your points] allowing true cabinet government wherein Cabinet Ministers actually make decisions - and are accountable for those decisions - rather than all decisions centralized in the PMO and/or the PCO should greatly assist as a relief valve for dissent and questioning.
If by the “Trudeau Era” we are discussing 1968 when P.E. Trudeau became Prime Minister and 2025 when Justin Trudeau left being Prime Minister, then I am in strong support for the messaging here. The centralization of power within the executive of political parties, and the disempowering of our elected parliamentary representatives, happened gradually over a long period of time with each executive branch since I was born being worse than the previous one.
Policy, whether in the legislative or executive branch, should not be happening with staff within leaders offices, but within parliamentary caucuses and committees. The voters are the ones that should be doing the hiring, as they elect parliamentarians, not party leaders or party executives. Far too much of the work of the legislative branch of government has been sucked up by the PMO and by the executive branch and their staff.
These should not merely be decisions made by a current Prime Minister, but some actual changes to law and parliamentary processes to try to protect Canada’s Democratic Institutions from the corruption of having all the power within the PM and other leaders and their offices (PMO, OLO, etc). We have 343 elected parliamentarians, and parliament should never be run like a special interest negotiation at a small table with 5 or so leaders sitting at it.
Everyone needs to back off and STFU for awhile now, allow in some air and light, acknowledge that, as Carney has pointed out, there's only one prime minister, which is him. But we're very lucky because he's also made it clear he's not interested in what have become the absolutely feverish games of politics, which means we can actually TRUST him. It's what the cons have taken away from us, that peace of mind that many of us have grown accustomed to and want back. Fuck them all, every last one for doing that.
Speaking of that, it has to be said about David Moscrop and many other "political" young men: He's been writing in the Observer lately and, like other writers I have read from the Hub, he has spouted the (what I would now say is "subliminal" it is so ubiquitous) conservative narrative. So that publication skews right, and since the right wing "brand" is now officially pure shit, front to back, act accordingly.
I mean, come on. Does ANYONE really still think that the formerly proud but now demonstrably craven GOP merits anything but contempt? Or that Trump billionaires and/or believers deserve to be listened to at all now about anything? I think it's accurate that the last election can be seen as a revived battle of the sexes, coming down as it did to the "bros vs. the hos," leaving no doubt whatsoever about which side won.
And that's without "Project 2025," a stunningly deluded religious blueprint for stopping time and modern society in its tracks by denying evolving human rights, starting with women as usual. All "minorities" need to line up behind women, somehow still regarded as that despite being half of humanity. Decent human men should also be bringing this forward from their seemingly immovable positions of power since apparently it's Joe Rogan's followers and their ilk who voted for Trump.
Talk about "cultural appropriation" or "cancel culture." Religion has been doing this with humanity for centuries in order to maintain male hegemony via the contrived but deemed "sacred" patriarchy, but since the big tech bros got hold of it, note that "the truth" has gone missing.
Since it's our compass and the only thing that's ACTUALLY sacred, chaos reigns.
I've read many times that the U.S. has been leaning toward theocracy, so no wonder their democracy is now so threatened.
I am a lifelong heathen, but can't help loving that the new ~American pope (like his predecessor) called the pompous recent convert Vance out on his sick pontificating. Bravo.
Nice column, as always. As a Francophone myself, I’m not sure how many more strong ministers from Quebec we need—especially given that both the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Foreign Affairs are already from the province. That said, I believe Western Canada deserves greater representation, particularly since the Cabinet currently includes only two ministers from west of Ontario and we now have elected MPs in every province.
Evan, I frequently do not agree with your prescriptions on various things but I fully support what you are saying. Further, your commentary is fit for ANY government, no matter the political stripe.
I offer two further comments.
First, Brian Mulroney was famous for his one on one discussions with his backbenchers. Those conversations - and the fact that he actually LISTENED to those backbenchers - served him very well when the public turned against him and his caucus remained terrifically loyal. In other words, communication is not only a political skill, it is a survival mechanism.
Second, [amplifying on one of your points] allowing true cabinet government wherein Cabinet Ministers actually make decisions - and are accountable for those decisions - rather than all decisions centralized in the PMO and/or the PCO should greatly assist as a relief valve for dissent and questioning.
If by the “Trudeau Era” we are discussing 1968 when P.E. Trudeau became Prime Minister and 2025 when Justin Trudeau left being Prime Minister, then I am in strong support for the messaging here. The centralization of power within the executive of political parties, and the disempowering of our elected parliamentary representatives, happened gradually over a long period of time with each executive branch since I was born being worse than the previous one.
Policy, whether in the legislative or executive branch, should not be happening with staff within leaders offices, but within parliamentary caucuses and committees. The voters are the ones that should be doing the hiring, as they elect parliamentarians, not party leaders or party executives. Far too much of the work of the legislative branch of government has been sucked up by the PMO and by the executive branch and their staff.
These should not merely be decisions made by a current Prime Minister, but some actual changes to law and parliamentary processes to try to protect Canada’s Democratic Institutions from the corruption of having all the power within the PM and other leaders and their offices (PMO, OLO, etc). We have 343 elected parliamentarians, and parliament should never be run like a special interest negotiation at a small table with 5 or so leaders sitting at it.
https://r.flora.ca/p/lets-work-to-fix-parliamentary-flaws
Everyone needs to back off and STFU for awhile now, allow in some air and light, acknowledge that, as Carney has pointed out, there's only one prime minister, which is him. But we're very lucky because he's also made it clear he's not interested in what have become the absolutely feverish games of politics, which means we can actually TRUST him. It's what the cons have taken away from us, that peace of mind that many of us have grown accustomed to and want back. Fuck them all, every last one for doing that.
Speaking of that, it has to be said about David Moscrop and many other "political" young men: He's been writing in the Observer lately and, like other writers I have read from the Hub, he has spouted the (what I would now say is "subliminal" it is so ubiquitous) conservative narrative. So that publication skews right, and since the right wing "brand" is now officially pure shit, front to back, act accordingly.
I mean, come on. Does ANYONE really still think that the formerly proud but now demonstrably craven GOP merits anything but contempt? Or that Trump billionaires and/or believers deserve to be listened to at all now about anything? I think it's accurate that the last election can be seen as a revived battle of the sexes, coming down as it did to the "bros vs. the hos," leaving no doubt whatsoever about which side won.
And that's without "Project 2025," a stunningly deluded religious blueprint for stopping time and modern society in its tracks by denying evolving human rights, starting with women as usual. All "minorities" need to line up behind women, somehow still regarded as that despite being half of humanity. Decent human men should also be bringing this forward from their seemingly immovable positions of power since apparently it's Joe Rogan's followers and their ilk who voted for Trump.
Talk about "cultural appropriation" or "cancel culture." Religion has been doing this with humanity for centuries in order to maintain male hegemony via the contrived but deemed "sacred" patriarchy, but since the big tech bros got hold of it, note that "the truth" has gone missing.
Since it's our compass and the only thing that's ACTUALLY sacred, chaos reigns.
I've read many times that the U.S. has been leaning toward theocracy, so no wonder their democracy is now so threatened.
I am a lifelong heathen, but can't help loving that the new ~American pope (like his predecessor) called the pompous recent convert Vance out on his sick pontificating. Bravo.
"I am a massive asshole." - is a matter of opinion.
In any case, exactly the kind we need. All these suggestions are absolutely terrific.
Awesome! I hope they’re listening :)
Nice column, as always. As a Francophone myself, I’m not sure how many more strong ministers from Quebec we need—especially given that both the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Foreign Affairs are already from the province. That said, I believe Western Canada deserves greater representation, particularly since the Cabinet currently includes only two ministers from west of Ontario and we now have elected MPs in every province.