N.Z. PM shows us what’s missing in leaders
Empathy and steel. Compassion and resolve.
Meet the new leadership standards as recently exemplified by Jacinda Ardern, prime minister of New Zealand, who under the most excruciating circumstances, and in immediate response to a devastating loss of 50 lives in the Christchurch mosque massacres last Friday, seemed to get it right.
After an alleged white extremist gunman shot and killed Muslims as young as 3 years old at prayer at two mosques in Christchurch, sickeningly armed with both guns and camera so millions could presumably watch his swath of terror live, Ardern, 38, the youngest prime minister in New Zealand’s history, firmly and compassionately helped her shaken country — and the world — deal with the immediate aftermath.
Even conservative commentators hailed her as a new “moral” voice in the leadership wilderness.
Ardern’s first formal words were profound. She said the attack had not happened because their country was a
safe harbour for hate or racism or extremism. “We were chosen for the very fact that we are none of those things,” she declared in an emotion-filled voice.
And in a direct message to the perpetrator, now in custody, and by extension to all extremists, she added: “You may have chosen us, but we utterly reject and condemn you.”
Ardern’s message about the Muslim victims that “they are us” was backed up over the weekend as she met with and comforted survivors, while wearing a head scarf, asking them to tell her what they needed. You cannot fake the compassion and concern etched on her face as she hugged and listened.
There was also strength. She did not, as most American leaders still in hock to a corrupt gun culture have to mewl on about thoughts and prayers, instead saying with flint in her voice: “Our gun laws will change.”
Ardern’s leadership not only impressed the world, but also sadly reminded us what’s missing in most leaders.
Don’t look of course to the current narcissistic monstrosity in the White House, Donald Trump, whose vile words have actually enabled the rise worldwide of deadly racism and white entitlement that he denies exists.
Was anyone else repulsed by acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney emitting a strangled laugh as he proclaimed during one television interview that his boss “is not a white supremacist.”
But Ardern had a few measured words over the phone for him when he called to ask how he could help, answering pointedly as she related: “Sympathy and love for all Muslim communities.”
Like many others watching the horror and its aftermath unfold, with many wounded still fighting for their lives, I was struck by how Ardern’s words combining both empathy and strength underscored how far short even of this simple mark most of our leaders come.
Even in Canada, we’re unexpectedly at a low right now. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who came into office with such high hopes, is now tarnished by the SNC-Lavalin controversy — he’s hired his own lawyer by the way.
Elected on a real message of positivity and inclusion, the only male PM to declare himself a feminist and prove it with his gender equal cabinet-sorry Justin haters I will never mock that — Trudeau is still very good when it comes to crises like our own horrific Quebec City mosque massacre in January 2017.
But he’s abysmal at handling crises that involve his own flaws or leadership. Platitude heavy, responsibility light.
Now on his third cabinet shuffle in less than two months, with on camera television correspondents outside Rideau Hall waiting for the last one yesterday as if they were starring in their own version of Groundhog Day, Trudeau is trying for a reset as he shuffles and budgets before next fall’s election. He may well be able to turn that page because he doesn’t have formidable competition on the leadership front.
Andrew Scheer, Conservative leader of the opposition, needed several attempts over the weekend just to get his reaction to the New Zealand mosque shootings right, his first tweet appallingly making no mention of actual Muslim victims, mosques or Islamophobia. Would that have riled the base?
And Scheer has seemed both inauthentic and awkward in his initial overreaction to the SNC-Lavalin mess, demanding Trudeau resign before all the details had rolled out.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has yet to say a memorable word about anything although that may change as he enters the House of Commons, finally elected to a seat.
Provincially, if you believe that tough bully boy Conservative Premier Doug Ford has equal amounts of empathy and strength, not to mention an intention to truly govern to all Ontarians’ interests and not just his base, well I’ve got a souped up luxury van with a reclinable seat and a big ass TV to sell you.
Look, it’s not because Ardern is a woman that she has the courage and instincts to lead in a way that most people can relate to and admire.
Her words just seemed authentic and fresh, pain-seared but strong. Yet Ardern also came into office on a message of positivity and hope.
Maybe all leaders get tarnished and worn down by not only the compromises they inevitably have to make to govern, but by their own human and hubristic flaws.
Surely we can forge better leadership everywhere. We don’t have a lot of time. There is a true moral vacuum right now into which very dangerous simplistic leaders can step.
In terms of climate change, racial extremism and inequality, there is a clock ticking with a fuse attached to it.
Come on leaders, show us both your empathy and steel. Your compassion and your resolve to make meaningful progressive change.
And P.S., if you can, try not to personally let us down in the process.
The New Zealand prime minister’s words combining empathy and strength underscore how far short of the mark our leaders come