Nobody is at more risk of infection than Trudeau, as he mugs for selfies with admirers ... It would be no great surprise, given the benighted nature of this campaign, if it were grounded by the leader getting sick.

— JOHN IVISON,

Political campaigns are rarely a straight road to victory but it has been a particularly bumpy and twisty few days for Justin Trudeau.

He has visited seven provinces this week, targeting the opposition-held ridings he needs to regain his coveted majority. But most days he has been sidetracked by geopolitics or, on Friday, an unforced error.

Poor advance planning at the first event on day 13 of the election became the news on Friday, burying Trudeau’s planned announcement.

Journalists, staff and restaurant employees were crammed into a Syrian bakery for a campaign event, like so many portions of baklava on a baking sheet.

Provincial health rules in Ontario limit indoor gatherings to a maximum of 50 per cent capacity, with a requirement for people to be two metres apart.

The press conference was clearly overcapacity and we were barely two feet from one another. Trudeau was asked whether he had obtained special permission to break the restrictions but ignored the question twice.

The irony was that the event was aimed at highlighting Trudeau’s concerns about COVID safety. It may be small beer, given what’s happening elsewhere in the world, but it is indicative of the disparity between the Liberal leader’s rhetoric and reality.

The central plank of the Liberal plan “to finish the fight against COVID” is to provide provinces with $1 billion to fund the development of proof of vaccination passports to be used to access non-essential businesses like restaurants.

Rather than the federal government initiating a national passport — and taking any reputational hit — Ottawa will leave it to the provinces. Trudeau said that decision was made because the provinces know the vaccination status of their citizens and the feds do not.

Quebec and British Columbia have already said they will require vaccine certification for restaurants and sports events.

Ontario has said such a system is not being worked on but there is pressure on Premier Doug Ford from business groups and there are whispers that Ford may announce some form of passport next week.

The premier’s apparent resistance to passports offered the Liberal leader the opportunity to engage in some Ford-bashing in his backyard. “I certainly hope that here in Ontario, Premier

Ford steps up. It’s time for him to listen to public health officials ... We’ll be ready when he does because keeping you safe, that’s my top priority,” he said.

Presumably he meant people watching at home because he clearly didn’t mean those in the room. If I were Ford, I’d have used that line as the cue to send in enforcement officers and hand the Liberal leader a ticket.

The point of Trudeau’s announcement was less about Ottawa writing a large cheque to the provinces and more about the supposed choice between the Liberals and the Conservatives, “who would roll back our progress”.

“That’s why this election matters so much. Because from the vaccines, to $10-a-day childcare, none of this happens if Erin O’toole is across the table from Doug Ford or any other premier.”

He said O’toole would rip up childcare agreements with provinces, slow down climate action and choose more options in health care for the wealthy and fewer for everyone else.

“The one thing he won’t choose? Vaccines. He can’t even tell his own candidates to get their shots,” he said.

The Conservatives say that they expect any of their candidates who are unvaccinated

EVERY SINGLE LIBERAL CANDIDATE AGREES WITH OUR APPROACH.

to take daily rapid tests.

But the implicit understanding in Trudeau’s attack is that his own team’s vaccination record is impeccable. But that’s not the case.

I asked him during the press conference if he could confirm all his candidates are fully vaccinated. After the obligatory word fog, he admitted “a couple” are not.

“Every single Liberal candidate agrees with our approach on this fully. We have ensured that all our candidates have been or are getting vaccinated….a couple are about to get their second dose,” he said. Liberal officials refused to disclose who has not been vaccinated.

Apparently oblivious to the incongruity, Trudeau plowed on. “We take very seriously our responsibility to keep Canadians safe,” he said.

There are obvious exceptions to that rule — including his entourage’s — and even his own — safety.

Nobody is at more risk of infection than Trudeau, as he mugs for selfies with admirers. The latest infection numbers show the latest seven day average up 29 per cent to nearly 3,000 new cases a day across the country.

It would be no great surprise, given the benighted nature of this campaign, if it were grounded by the leader getting sick.