A TEST FOR VOTERS TOO

“If it happened last week, it would shock me to the core. But things that happened 20 years ago? Different time.” So said Liberal Greg Fergus, running for re-election in the federal riding of Hull-Aylmer. Many Liberals this week made similar statements.

You would expect such unity from people whose party is under fire. Circle the wagons, defend the boss, deflect, do anything to put the scandal — in this case, revelations about Justin Trudeau’s blackface episodes — behind you. Toe the party line.

Why is this expected? Because, fellow voters, we allow it.

The Citizen argued in this space last week for more onus on the people running locally for federal office. It is their names, not the names “Trudeau,” Scheer” or “Singh” that will appear on your ballot. It follows that anyone, from any party, who hopes to be your MP should be held to a higher standard than merely parroting a script.

An MP’s job is twofold: a) represent the riding; and b) hold government — even if it’s led by one’s own party — to account. The blackface controversy is a perfect test of whether local candidates have the gumption to do this.

Trudeau’s actions caused deep distress to many Canadians. Others feel that past actions, even foolish ones, don’t define a person’s character. Still others don’t see what the fuss is about. Given such variety of public opinion, what does it say if local candidates are mere echo chambers for party brass in this affair?

So voters: ask local candidates in your riding for their personal take on the past week, not their party line. Ask them for their own “action plans”: If Liberals, what will they do about a leader who acted insensitively in the past? Will they fight in caucus for concrete measures to heal any rifts caused? Will they move to sanction the boss for keeping his antics a secret?

Ask candidates from opposition parties how they will police their own leaders’ behaviour, whether they will reach across parties to try to heal any damage from the blackface saga, what concrete measures, if any, they will take to soften the growing cynicism among voters over this?

Listen carefully to the answers. Is the candidate just repeating what you’re hearing from their leader? Trying to shift the conversation? Merely slagging political foes? Would-be MPs with a backbone will confront this topic frankly — perhaps disagree with party bosses, perhaps not.

The week has been a test for Justin Trudeau, but it’s also a test for all candidates. And for voters, too.