The more we learn about Justin Trudeau’s new politics, the more we yearn for that old time politics. Before the 1990s, candidates were nominated by their local riding association and there was nothing the party leader could do about who the party chose. We ended up getting some mavericks back then. We got the odd Member of Parliament chosen by a single ethnic group. We got a few anti-abortionists. In fact, all parties got some dingbats who marched to their own drummer. And others of whom we were proud.
And we were proud as hell to be liberals. In the 1960s, the Liberal Party thrived on discussion of ideas. We even argued about marijuana back then. We fought for a woman’s rights to her own body. We brought in the concept of the leader being responsible to the party and of periodic revue. We were reformers. We were progressives.
And we were leaving the New Democrats back in the battles of the 1930s. We were relevant. We fought harder in our own party to get Medicare for Canadians. Many of us flocked to Pierre Trudeau’s banner only to lose ground in 1970 with the October Crisis of the FLQ. It was only when Trudeau almost lost the 1972 election that he realized he needed our help.
What people do not seem to realize is that there needs to be a tension between the party and the parliamentary wing. Maybe Stephen Harper can spend the time micromanaging the Conservative Party along with the government but he drops much through the cracks in his planning. The failures become more and more obvious with time.
Harper has his social conservatives seething with discontent after a full term in majority government and no succour to their mores. The nebbishes that he roped into backbench servitude for so long are restless and concerned about the intentions of the voters.
But what is young Justin Trudeau offering? Is this the new type of politics or just a return to the bad old days? He interferes in riding nominations. He entices the rejects from other parties to run as Liberals. He ignores the party’s direction on policies.
The conundrum we Liberals face is what choice do we have? Harper is on his way out the door. Thomas Mulcair of the New Democrats is fighting a rearguard action in Quebec. He and his party are toast. The only party that can win the election is the Liberal Party. And anything but a Liberal majority will be a quagmire.
So let us raise our voices in the choir: Gimme that old time politics.
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Copyright 2015 © Peter Lowry
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