On your marks, get set … let the election games begin
It seems increasingly apparent, meaning all but inevitable, one of the first acts of the new Governor General will be to dissolve the 43rd Parliament.
Mary Simon, who first came to prominence at a 1984 constitutional conference where she famously challenged then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau, finds herself in the position of dropping the writ that may extend the government of his son Justin.
Simon is to be sworn in July 26 at a pandemic-limited ceremony where she will join the exclusive club of former Cbc/radio-canada employees named GG, which now numbers five with her addition. Her Mother Corp predecessors are, in reverse order, Michaelle Jean, Adrienne Clarkson, Romeo Leblanc, and the first woman appointed to the Rideau Hall gig, Jeanne Sauvé.
Liberals appointed all of them, indeed, two - Leblanc and Sauvé served as ministers in Pierre Trudeau’s government. To his non-partisan credit, the two other GGS Trudeau the Elder appointed during his reign were not Grit warriors.
Jules Léger, named in January 1974, was a veteran diplomat whose most notable posting, late in his career, was to France, where he helped smooth over President Charles de Gaulle’s “Vive le Québec libre!” meddling in Canada’s internal politics in 1968.
Léger had a serious stroke six months into the job, and, though he recovered much of his functions and soldiered on bravely, his wife Gabrielle stood in for him on many occasions, twice reading the Speech from the Throne for him.
Ed Schreyer shirked the New Democratic Party’s traditional rejection of the monarchy to accept the governor generalship offered by Trudeau. In January 1979, Schreyer, the former NDP premier of Manitoba became, at 43, the youngest GG in the modern, locally appointed era.
Shortly into his mandate, Schreyer had a visit from Trudeau and granted him an election in May 1979, which Trudeau lost to another western dude by the name of Joe Clark.
Which brings us back to Mary Simon and the looming drop of the writ. The punditry has determined that the two main scenarios are: Trudeau calls it in mid-august for a vote in late September; or a call in early September for a vote in October, post-thanksgiving, possibly Oct. 17, which is close to the normal legal date. Hey, some folks might even think it’s been four years since the last vote; it certainly seems at least that long.
With the election mere weeks away in any of the prevailing possibilities, the nation’s thoughts will soon turn away from the BBQ, pool, lake, campground, resort, hiking trail, paddling river etc to take note of who is running for election - or not.
Regardless, now is the time for all good men, women and others to come to the aid of their party, if they have not already reupped or been duly nominated. Running for office in Canada, political history buffs might know, dates back to 1792, following the passing, by the British Parliament, of the Constitutional Act of 1791.
The Act, among other things, separated (!) the colony into Upper and Lower Canada, and allowed for an elected (but essentially powerless) assembly in each. Women who owned property in Lower Canada were granted the vote, while their sisters on the upper side were not. Women in some Quebec districts exercised their right to vote until 1849 when the menfolk took the right away.
Most parties have already nominated many of the incumbents who have decided to take the plunge again, so there’s bound to be a torrent of newbies in the coming weeks. As of this writing, the Liberals have nominated 36 candidates in Quebec which has 78 seats; the Conservatives have 54 already in harness; the Bloc Quebecois 37; the NDP 23; and the Green Party six.
This is that incomparably exciting time for politics wonks to thrill to the flurry of rumours and denials, sudden bouts of cold feet, or bursts of inflamed passion for public service.
Given the ordeal ahead of them, be it the monotonous life of a backbencher, the drudgery of constituency work, the unbridled abuse via social media, or the endless sacrifice of time away from home and family, it’s a wonder we have the calibre of candidates and representatives we do.