Category: New

Did the PM Do Nothing?

by Peter Lowry

In the roll-out of Justin Trudeau’s recent interview with Susan Delacourt of the Toronto Star, he complains about what he calls ‘casual cynicism.’ He says it comes from the left wing of Canadian politics. He said, it bugged him during his first four years in office. Being a charter member of the progressive left in politics, that whine from Justin pisses me off. We are hardly the only cynics.

It is hard to imagine anything more cynical than promising Canadians that 2015 would be the last time they would use first-past-the-post voting. Justin gave the job of making that happen to one of the least competent and less experienced members of his cabinet. His party failed to open the examination and debate on voting systems to all Canadians. And the ‘do nothing’ conclusion was pre-ordained by the closed minds in the major parties.

And in 2016, where did our elitist prime minister and his family spend Christmas? When you take your family to spend Christmas with one of the richest men in the world on his private island in the Bahamas, it does raise a few eyebrows. And as Iman of the world’s Ismaili Muslims, the Aga Khan was unlikely to have had a Christmas tree for the kids.

You tell me what was going on in 2018 that detracted from Justin’s accomplishments? We were watching a self-identified feminist prove that he neither understood women nor left them to do their job. We all went through the Jody Wilson Raybould episode when she was justice minister. How was any accomplishment going to compete with that?

And for this progressive, the nadir of Justin’s first four years was his cynical purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline. Why he would waste billions of the taxpayers’ dollars on that one project is the extremis. That self-declared environmentalist has done nothing to help save this planet but make foolish promises of meeting some unlikely targets in the distant future.

Surprisingly, this cynical progressive was pleased with one aspect of the Trudeau government from 2015 to 2019. He was not Stephen Harper. In that we had something to appreciate.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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The Flexible Erin O’Toole.

by Peter Lowry

Federal conservative leader Erin O’Toole always has his legal career as a fall-back position. The lawyer who can quickly adjust his standards to suit client needs seems to always be in demand. And Canadians can attest to O’Toole’s flexibility during the 2021 federal election.

But, surprise, surprise, flexibility does not always win elections. It was like in Quebec where premier Legault’s Bill 21 won O’Toole’s support because he told us that a conservative government respects provincial autonomy. It did not matter to O’Toole that even though Legault said he was just expressing Quebec values, he still had to use the constitution’s ‘Not Withstanding’ clause to cover off the bigotry involved.

All O’Toole proved was that he has no concept of Canadian values.

And, who would question Alberta premier Jason Kenney’s ringing endorsement of his friend Erin O’Toole? It certainly said a lot that Kenney was always there for O’Toole and not a word was said about what Alberta was doing to the environment.

Of course, it was very different in Ontario where premier Doug Ford could never be there when O’Toole was in his own province of residence. It seems that Ford was not high in the polls at the time, so O’Toole and he did not see each other often.

But the point is that throughout that 2021 election campaign, Canadians became more and more confused by O’Toole’s flexibility. If a program did not appear to be working for his party, he would change it. This guy could flip-flop better than a fish out of water.

And yet, in the Commons recently, he surprised everyone by agreeing to his party sponsoring a motion to fast-track the conversion therapy bill and send it to the senate. That would have been fine if the bill was in danger of missing any legislative deadlines but it says very little for O’Toole’s due diligence in his role as opposition leader. This liberal, for example would have liked a little more discussion of some of the human rights questions that law touches on.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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Brampton Brown Battles Bigotry.

by Peter Lowry

We just heard that Brampton mayor Patrick Brown has waded into the war with Quebec over their Law 21. That is the law that the provincial bigots in the Quebec City assembly passed against the wearing of religious symbols. Brown’s remarks are part of the mounting effort to force federal politicians to oppose the Quebec law in the courts.

Brampton Brown, who used to be Barrie Brown, has stuck his oar into the controversy probably to test his potential comeback to the federal political scene. At the very least, he is shoring up his hold on his present job in Brampton with its large number of immigrants from the Indian sub-continent. With the World Sikh Organization, one of the parties fighting the Quebec law, Brown is at least ready to take on anyone with thoughts of replacing him as mayor of Brampton.

We learned about his stand through the unusual route of Althia Raj, who normally reports these days on events in Ottawa for the Toronto Star. She tells us that prime minister Justin Trudeau is still straddling the fence on the issue until the Supreme Court gets involved.

The only federal party leader who has had a change of heart is Jagmeet Singh of the new democrats. Mind you, the involvement of the World Sikh Organization might have had something to do with Singh’s conversion. As a turban-wearing, kirpan-bearing Sikh and a follower of the Tenth Guru, Jagmeet could hardly stick to his previous provincial-rights stand.

There are some conservatives also pushing at Erin O’Toole to turn his back on the Legault government in Quebec. That might be a tough fight as Legault’s CAQ in Quebec is the closest party to conservative in that province.

The Quebec law is a non-starter in the rest of Canada. When you consider that the wearing of crosses, or turbans, or yarmulkas or versions of the hijab are just a fashion statement in a pluralist society and very few care. You have to admit, Canada is quite a diverse society and we are better for it.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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The Long Walk.

by Peter Lowry

There is something cleansing about a walking interview with a good reporter. Susan Delacourt did a long interview with Justin Trudeau recently, while they were walking in the snow in Rideau Park in Ottawa. It seems to have given the Toronto Star reporter the leads for a number of stories. In this particular case, Justin Trudeau was complaining about the lack of recognition for the work his government had done when it had a majority after the 2015 election.

What Justin needs to realize is that missteps will hide any accomplishments, any day. And Trudeau the Younger had made more than a few missteps.

But the Delacourt opinion piece brought back memories for me. It was 55 years ago that I took a long walk around Peterborough, Ontario with a Globe and Mail reporter named John Dafoe. I don’t think I ever asked John about his grandfather. It was obvious that he would be the grandson of the famous Winnipeg Free Press editor, with the same name, who died in 1944. John had just met Pierre Trudeau, the new member of parliament for Mount Royal.

What Pierre and some other liberal MPs and party people were doing at that hotel in Peterborough on that fine fall weekend was only a by-the-way in the front-page story in the Globe and Mail the following Monday. That feature story, by John Dafoe, launched Pierre Trudeau on the road to becoming prime minister, replacing Lester B. Pearson.

The funny thing about that interview in Peterborough was that nothing of that sort had been planned. The liberal meeting was supposedly on the QT. And I was hardly the only person surprised by the local MP thinking that his invitation to the local CBC station would be kept within Peterborough.

When I asked Pierre Trudeau to talk to the TV people, he told me to ‘F-off’ in front of the entire group. And that led to a few vulgarities from me in response.

I will never know why Pierre suddenly relented and agreed to do the TV interview. The camera was set up in the hotel lobby. Everything was fine until the Globe and Mail, in the person of John Dafoe, wandered in. Pierre was eager to get back to the group and that was when John and I went for a walk

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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Kenney’s Tammany Hall.

by Peter Lowry

Alberta’s premier Jason Kenney is hardly launching anything as endurable as New York’s Tammany Hall. As a student of politics, he would hardly be eager to follow in the paths of a Boss Tweed or Jimmy Walker of Tammany fame.

But manipulative, he is! Can you imagine selling memberships to political parties in Alberta in bulk? That is a new one in the annals of political corruption. I have seen hundreds of party memberships being supported with a single cheque. I have seen quite lengthy lists of new party members derived from local cemeteries. Yet it is hard to imagine the Alberta legislature passing a party membership bill that allows party donors to purchase up to 400 new party memberships, to distribute as they wish.

Sometimes, you just wonder where the political Jason Kenney is coming from? This guy can ignore the terrible plight of the neighbouring province British Columbia. Our country’s major west coast seaport was cut off from the rest of Canada by torrential rains, mud slides and flooding. Does Kenney roll up his sleeves and get in there and help clear the roads and rebuild rail and other connections to the west coast?

No. The braggart Kenney is too busy boasting about his province setting new records in extracting the highly polluting bitumen from the Alberta tar sands. He brags about the recent upsurge in oil prices that are helping eat away at the deficits, his party has created.

He makes no concession at all to the struggles of farmers and ranchers in B.C. whose livelihoods are endangered. Yet he rejoices at the higher costs of high carbon-producing fuels. He appears ignorant that his eagerness to exploit the tar sands is making a substantial contribution to global warming.

His weak leadership throughout the ongoing pandemic has left Alberta hospitals and their staffs exhausted and embittered.

I used to think that despite his manipulative ways, Kenney knew what he was doing. I’m beginning to wonder about that. He might just be the most hated premier in Canada. He has a tough fight for the title from Ontario’s Doug Ford.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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Pierre Poilievre’s Priorities.

by Peter Lowry

The waspish MP from Carleton, in his best attack dog style, went after liberal finance minister Chrystia Freeland the other day. The deputy prime minister is scheduled to deliver a fiscal update to the House of Commons today. Mr. Poilievre did not politely ask for his opinions on the subject be recognized. He couched his opinions as demands.

And Mr. Poilievre went well beyond the opposition party’s responsibility to question and oppose the actions of the government. He based his entire argument on a lie. He blamed the liberal government for the current inflation.

When world-wide inflationary pressures are caused by the effects of a pandemic, it is hard to believe that the conservative finance critic would be so blatantly partisan.

He said it very plainly: “Our demands are very simple: less tax, less deficits, less inflation.”

At a time when gasoline prices are escalating, world-wide shipping and transportation services are tied in knots, and customer-facing services are failing because of the pandemic restrictions, this fool wants government spending to revert back to pre-pandemic levels.

He wants a freeze on government spending and taxation as our health care system staggers on the weary legs of worn out care-givers. He demands that the government bring spending back to pre-pandemic levels. He ignores the ravages of climate warming on our infrastructure and food supply and personal services. He wants a freeze on taxes at a time when extended services to people are in extremis.

Canadians are very lucky that Mr. Poilievre is not Canada’s finance minister at this time. His ignorant devotion to conservative philosophy is unworthy of even his political party in this time of troubles.

I have no idea just what Chrystia Freeland will say in her fiscal update this afternoon, but I certainly hope it meets none of the demands of the foolish finance critic for the conservatives.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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And a Man Named Mel.

by Peter Lowry

In a life in politics, you deal with many a municipal politician. I expect the dorkiest I ever had to deal with was a little guy named Mel Lastman. Mel was an entrepreneur in business and in politics. He was a showman. He dealt with political controversy as though it was a marketing problem. He was a conservative without the philosophy. He was a politician who liked people. He died the other day at 88.

Mel sold himself short when he first ran in North York. At a time of shifting alliances in Toronto and its surrounding boroughs, he ran to be one of the four controllers in North York. Many of us liberals in North York were amused by his campaign but he had strong name recognition because of his furniture and appliances stores. The old hands at North York city hall and Metropolitan Toronto gave him a rough time. It made him more determined. The next election, he ran for mayor in North York and was unstoppable.

It is easy to admit that it was always fun to deal with Mel. He had the only city hall office that I had been in that had its own telephone booth. He was a bit quirky. I thought of his office as Mel’s Cabinet of Curios.

But he was also very fair. As a ratepayer president for my community, I always considered Mel the last resort. We shared a lot of platforms together for various events and elections. He was always unfailingly jovial and interested in what I had to say.

Once there was a dust-up over some proposed high-rise apartments and Mel stepped in to mediate. I knew darn well that he was a good buddy of the developer and that the only sensible solution was to get the most out of the deal for my community as possible. That meant taking a middle of the road position and I can tell you from experience that going out into the middle of the road in politics gets you run over.

I think Mel made his mistake when he took the leap from North York to the cloistered clamshell of Toronto’s city hall because of the forced amalgamation to the larger city. He had moved out of his comfort zone. He was too old and I think he missed his telephone booth. Mel Lastman was one of a kind.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to:

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Indicting Justin Trudeau.

by Peter Lowry

Let’s make it clear from the beginning, as a liberal, I feel betrayed by prime minister Justin Trudeau. From the first time I met the newly-minted member of parliament in 2010, there has been the nagging impression that he is but an actor. He is his mother’s son, not his father’s. He is glib with a practiced speech or a teleprompter. He likes to hide behind grease paint and costume.

But, in the beginning, I welcomed him as a liberal. With the problems Canada’s liberals had after the Chrétien years, the party needed stable leadership. With Justin, I was never sure if we were getting leadership or selfies but the party took the chance.

And I liked what he said about stronger riding associations and hands off on candidate selection. We were so trusting!

The 2015 election was a foregone conclusion. Harper had shown his true self during his one majority government. The liberals danced to Rideau Hall in the sun’s rays for the swearing in.

But all was not right. Trudeau the Younger did not want the grey beards of the senate in his caucus. Yet he welcomed all who wanted to be a liberal without making any commitment or charge. Until they found out there was no party left, just constant pleas for funding.

Trudeau is a traveler. He revels in the world spotlight. Yet the world has realized that he is a light-weight who makes hollow promises.

He tells us he is a feminist and yet fails to try to understand women.

He tells us he is concerned for the environment and yet wastes billions of taxpayers’ dollars on the Trans Mountain pipeline. He thinks he can ship the product of the tar sands exploiters to other countries and blame them for the destruction of our planet.

He might use his father’s name but he betrays him. He will not stand up to the politicians in Quebec who deny religious symbols. Pierre Trudeau was a real liberal. He would have labelled Quebec’s Law-21 as bigotry and fought it.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to:

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Regg Cohn Cries ‘Wolf.’

by Peter Lowry

Toronto Star opinion writer Martin Regg Cohn might be a Ford fan. He tells us that he believes Ontario premier Doug Ford has found a path to truth, justice and the Ontario way. He even believes Ford is a shoo-in next June for a second four years in the premier’s office. Regg Cohn must be smoking the strong stuff.

The problem is that the Ford, Regg Cohn is referring to, is a phantom. He doesn’t exist. Ford and his side-kick, girl-wonder Christine Elliott, have destroyed Ontario’s over-rated health system. Do you really think anyone with a clue about what has happened to our hospitals could conscientiously return that dangerous duo? Have you found anyone concerned about health care who would vote for them next year?

And have you talked to any school teachers lately? They are hardly silent about what they would like to do to education minister Stephen Lecce. They have found out that Lecce is a phony. He is his own public relations creation. It is kind of like a lawyer who acts as his own lawyer. He is a waste of good suits.

Believe it or not there are people in Ontario who care about the environment. They are concerned about global warming. And they are askance at the Ford government’s Ministerial Zoning Orders. Can you imagine anyone who gives a damn about the environment agreeing to Ford’s highway 413? The act of destroying wetlands and good farmland to please Ford’s developer friends has turned off more than a few Ontario voters. And the Bradford Bypass needs to bypass the Holland Marsh, not destroy part of the Marsh, and part of Bradford.

And, don’t you love Ford’s solution to electricity generation? He wants more nuclear power. When anyone else can make an easy guess as to how popular that idea might be, he thinks nukes are the answer. He could buy the same amount of power from Quebec’s water-generated power grid for about a third of what nuke’s cost. And Regg Cohn thinks Ford knows best?

It is enough to make you want to find out about the liberal’s secret leader, Stephen Del Duca. Or, heaven forbid, consider the NDP’s Andrea Horwath.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to:

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Trump, Trust and Truth.

by Peter Lowry

If wife Melanie doesn’t poison his late-night cheeseburgers first, Donald Trump is planning his return to the U.S. presidency in 2024. He already has a large chunk of U.S. voters convinced that he was cheated in 2020 and that the Biden presidency is not legal. And republican politicians in red states are preparing the way for his triumphant return.

In a corrupted political system, such as exists in America, it is easy for the Trump lackies to prepare to strew rose petals in his path. They are passing laws, in republican-controlled states, to control who votes and how they will be allowed to vote and whether their votes will be counted. They have gone well beyond gerrymandering. Their motto seems to be “We can steal better.”

It will not necessarily be a stealth campaign. You can expect Trump to be more open in his campaign for a white, racially pure America. (You thought “Make America Great Again” meant something else?)

And the ultimate recourse is violence. Trump showed his followers what could be accomplished last January 6—Trump’s Day of Infamy. And can you imagine the result if they had all brought along their trusty assault rifles?

The red states are once again emboldened to challenge Roe v Wade, the bedrock of liberalized abortion. It is not so much as they all give a damn about the rights of the fetus. They are exercising their right to expect a Trump-appointed Supreme Court to bend to their wishes.

At the same time, Trump has his search and destroy list of untrusted and weak-kneed republicans. He is cleaning house before putting himself before a republican nominating convention. This convention is only for those who make the Trump Pledge of Allegiance.

No, it is not likely that Trump could garner a majority of votes for president but it might not matter. We should never forget that the Nazi party won the last contested vote in the Wiemar Republic (Germany) in 1933 with just less than 45 per cent of the popular votes and winning only a third of the seats in the Reichstag.

And, in case you where not aware, Trump has launched his own Internet showcase and will have all the popular social media singing from his song sheets for 2024. It might be the last open election in America for many years.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to:

[email protected]