Laurier’s ‘Sunny Ways’ inspire Trudeau
But ‘good times’ may prove to be elusive
Like his father Pierre, Justin Trudeau admires the leadership of former prime minister Wilfrid Laurier, the first French Canadian to lead one of Canada’s national parties.
Laurier’s open style of governing has noticeable parallels in Justin Trudeau’s government a century later.
Before he became prime minister Laurier was asked what he would do about the acrimonious Manitoba Schools Question. He replied he would try “the sunny way” as in the Aesop fable. Laurier’s open-ended immigration policy benefited Manitoba, reducing linguistic tensions.
When Laurier became prime minister in 1896, Canada seemed adrift. Across the country people were unable to settle their differences. Language tensions were divisive. After John A. Macdonald died in 1891, four successive prime ministers provided little leadership and failed to inspire national unity.
Laurier’s 15 years as PM brought good times and prosperity, leading him to boldly declare that “the 20th century will belong to Canada.” Turned out to be not quite Canada’s century!
While Trudeau unleashed his positive style of governing from the get-go as Laurier did, he may not be working in “good times.” And prosperity may indeed be elusive in this period of grindingly slow economic growth.
The challenges are enormous for Trudeau. But like Laurier, Trudeau has mastered the art of connecting with many Canadians, at least over his first 10 months in government. Using social media very effectively, his policy initiatives are open and accountable.
Bringing back the Census Long Form within weeks of his new government demonstrated Trudeau’s determination to reset Canada’s political culture, after a decade of Harper’s reactionary ideological conservatism.
A new conciliatory approach is now evident in Ottawa. This sets the table for future negotiations on healthcare, pension and electoral reform. The Senate and the Supreme Court will have new controversial recruitment standards, requiring federal-provincial cooperation.
Trudeau moved with some success on settling 25,000 Syrian refugees across the country. The floodgates of federal transfers opened to the great relief of municipalities and the provinces. Long-term core federal investment in decaying infrastructures are an overdue budget priority, as CBRM Mayor Cecil Clarke testified last week. First-Nation communities are now included directly in budget consultations and billions have been earmarked for water quality, housing and health care services.
What could possibly go wrong? Everything could! All governments inevitably pass their best-before dates and are the architects of their own demise. This federal government can’t say yes to every spending request and remain credible for long.
Electoral reform is a minefield – a difficult promise to keep by the next election. Three provinces have already rejected initiatives on proportional representation (PR). We may not be ready for a PR system, as superior as it is to First-Past-The-Post.
One major trap for Trudeau in opening the federal coffers is deficit spending begets incremental debt and more deficit spending. It is the slippery slope that crimps all federal budgets, increases taxes and weakens the economy. Opposition parties love the gift.
So many other things challenge the Trudeau government. As a trading nation, Canada’s economy is vulnerable to global economic weaknesses. The U.S. – our largest trading partner – carries a $20 trillion galloping debt and faces severe economic contraction in trying to rein it in. We will catch that cold!
It will be very difficult for Canada to even grow out of its current debt before Trudeau’s new spending bill is added. These are not yet “good times.”