All sides of federal politics losing perspective

It would be a massive understatement to say there are legitimate questions to ask a Canadian government running up a $343-billion deficit that is 10 times what was projected before the COVID-19 pandemic.

This week’s deficit news regarding the 2020-21 federal budget that so far doesn’t actually exist, is the latest from a federal Liberal government steeped in controversies largely of its own making. Already buried in his third ethics investigation over the WE charity’s solesourced federal government contract, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing very serious questions over the fact his mother and brother have been paid $282,000 for WE speeches.

And now we are hearing allegations of Finance Minister Bill Morneau — who would be directly responsible for funding the WE contract — having family members involved with the charity.

You don’t need to be much of a critical political thinker to conclude that fiscal incompetence and stories of doling out contracts to groups enriching family members are issues that require immediate accountability on the floor of the House of Commons. Trudeau is functioning in some alternate universe when it comes to both the scrutiny he and his government expect and, frankly, his general ethical conduct. This is something that should be beyond partisan views that fuel so much of today’s politics.

Yet we seem to have many eager to ignore such issues and/or defend the prime minister’s actions — sometimes, for reasons no more relevant than, to some, it is the only response to unfair, visceral, irrational attacks levelled at Trudeau and his Liberal government.

Doesn’t this say something about how broken Canadian political discourse is right now? How tone deaf do you have to be to not hear the problem?

Similarly, you don’t need to be much of a critical thinker to condemn an armed intruder crashing the gates of the Prime Minister’s Rideau Hall residence with a prohibited M-14 rifle, two shotguns and a revolver and uttering threats to “cause death or bodily harm.”

Canadian Forces veteran Corey Hurren, 46, now charged with 22 criminal offences, had with him a twopage letter prattling on about Canada becoming a communist dictatorship.

It should have every person and every politician declaring this an act of domestic terrorism.

Yet we sure aren’t hearing much of that — especially from Trudeau opponents. In fact, you don’t have to peruse the internet for very long to find sites with near-gleeful responses in support for what Trudeau haters seem to view as a lark. A Gofundme page has been set up for Hurren.

Does anyone recall it was just six years ago that Parliament Hill was attacked by a terrorist sympathizer that required then-prime minister Stephen Harper and other MPS to seek cover?

Why are we not hearing far, far, far more from fellow parliamentarians — especially Trudeau’s shrill critics like Pierre Poilievre, Michelle Rempel Garner, Denise Batters and certainly the current and future Conservative leadership — who could and should send strong signals against any domestic terrorism?

When did politics lose its way? What does leadership truly mean?

The problem isn’t just the blind-dog loyalty some have to their own political philosophy. Even worse, it is those with hate in their hearts for those with differing philosophical views.

Asked about this rising tide of political anger, Liberal Ralph Goodale cited everything from TV in the House of Commons creating theatrics to 24-hour news channels to borrowed attitudes from U.S. politics to unfettered social media.

But he suggested the biggest problem right now is there aren’t many parliamentarians like Ray Hnatyshyn, Bill Mcknight or Hugh Segal who could reach across the aisle.

That may be a little partisan (or at least, a glossing over of the likes of Sheila Copps and the Liberal Rat Pack) but Goodale is likely right that it comes down to individual politicians being better. We all need to do better.

We can do both. We can condemn acts of terrorism. We can condemn massive debt and potential ethics violations. We still are allowed to think critically.

Mandryk is the political columnist for the Regina Leader-post and Saskatoon Starphoenix.