You hardly need to check with pollsters to know that prime minister Justin Trudeau has aced it. He is getting lots of positive votes for his leadership in this time of crisis. You even talk to known conservatives and some of them tell you what a good job he is doing. And would you believe that, in some ways, he has won the kudos by happenstance?
Part of it was Sophie Grégoire Trudeau. Her testing positive to covid-19 on returning to Canada after a speaking trip to the United Kingdom, is not something that could be planned. The prime minister’s wife was quarantined at home and the prime minister chose to be in isolation with her and the children. He was just one more Canadian being told to go home and stay there. Mind you, when you are prime minister, you can work from wherever you like.
It also brought the news media to the Rideau Cottage briefings. It might not be 10 Downing Street but only the prime minister is allowed at that mike. The briefing at 11:15 am has been convenient for the government and the news media. And large numbers of Canadians are watching and talking about the words direct from the PM.
Compared to that buffoon in Washington, Mr. Trudeau’s information is precise, understandable and helpful. Mr. Trump seems to run a Gong Show with more-qualified actors trying to correct his misdirection, confusion, pet theories and favoured medications.
While no doubt the opposition leaders in parliament are deeply resentful of the opportunity given to the liberal leader, there is little they can do about it. Mr. Trudeau can easily fall back on the national interest and the non-partisan (well, sort-of) nature of what he has to tell Canadians. What can the opposition do anyway when the largest opposition party (the conservatives) is trying to choose a new leader, the new democrats need a leader, the bloc québécois want to stick around for a while and the greens want a new leader.
The only achievement of the opposition so far is to say no to a very silly suggestion that they give complete control to the liberals for the next two years. That was taken off the table.
But it really could be two years before politics in this country gets back to normal. Until then, we are going to be fed pap such as deputy pm Chrystia Freeland and Ontario premier Doug Ford being the best of buddies. With politics in that bad a shape, we have got to beat this coronavirus as soon as possible!
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Copyright 2020 © Peter Lowry
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