Maybe it is actually helpful for the Liberals to be this far behind in the polls (as opposed to being 1-2% behind).
If you have nothing to lose, best to go down fighting and implement some bold policies. The Conservatives have in effect given the Liberals carte blanche for the next two budgets. Canada is broken and everything is a crisis? Well, now it is not the time to complain about a deficit. People cannot find affordable housing? Well, now is not the time to have a discussion about the finer points of federal and provincial jurisdiction.
I also think that Trudeau has to stick with the carbon tax. Make it part of the fight. Provinces can design their custom plans if they want to, but doing nothing and let the planet burn is not an option. Plus, the 3 cent increase has happened and was hardly noticeable, people will wonder where was the 23% increase that Poilievre was talking about. The fight is more important (politically) than the actual policy.
I’m wondering how much of the way these new programs are being announced is meant to put a spotlight on premiers in various provinces. I understand the fourplex thing was thought out before Doug weighed the in on it, but it certainly draws a line between Doug and the feds on housing. Same with the food for kids, it’s difficult to argue against from a strict policy point of view (though yes you can ask if the feds should do this and it’s not a provincial thing) but the immediate road blocks can now be painted as, well, gatekeeping
“…they’re giving the Liberals people to be mad at and people to blame.”
This of course will require the Liberals to stick to a consistent message. If Alberta and Saskatchewan and Ontario blow off the Liberal plan the Liberals need to be out there every week for the next year talking about it. Otherwise no one will remember it a month from now.
Personally, I would have liked to see the funding as a guaranteed pot. Automatically split it between all qualifying jurisdictions based on a public formula, with public requirements for deliverables.
Force the premieres of Alberta and Saskatchewan to explain why their share was being redistributed to other jurisdictions.
Maybe it is actually helpful for the Liberals to be this far behind in the polls (as opposed to being 1-2% behind).
If you have nothing to lose, best to go down fighting and implement some bold policies. The Conservatives have in effect given the Liberals carte blanche for the next two budgets. Canada is broken and everything is a crisis? Well, now it is not the time to complain about a deficit. People cannot find affordable housing? Well, now is not the time to have a discussion about the finer points of federal and provincial jurisdiction.
I also think that Trudeau has to stick with the carbon tax. Make it part of the fight. Provinces can design their custom plans if they want to, but doing nothing and let the planet burn is not an option. Plus, the 3 cent increase has happened and was hardly noticeable, people will wonder where was the 23% increase that Poilievre was talking about. The fight is more important (politically) than the actual policy.
I’m wondering how much of the way these new programs are being announced is meant to put a spotlight on premiers in various provinces. I understand the fourplex thing was thought out before Doug weighed the in on it, but it certainly draws a line between Doug and the feds on housing. Same with the food for kids, it’s difficult to argue against from a strict policy point of view (though yes you can ask if the feds should do this and it’s not a provincial thing) but the immediate road blocks can now be painted as, well, gatekeeping
“…they’re giving the Liberals people to be mad at and people to blame.”
This of course will require the Liberals to stick to a consistent message. If Alberta and Saskatchewan and Ontario blow off the Liberal plan the Liberals need to be out there every week for the next year talking about it. Otherwise no one will remember it a month from now.
Personally, I would have liked to see the funding as a guaranteed pot. Automatically split it between all qualifying jurisdictions based on a public formula, with public requirements for deliverables.
Force the premieres of Alberta and Saskatchewan to explain why their share was being redistributed to other jurisdictions.