Before former B.C. premier Christy Clark announced she would not run for the federal Liberal leadership on Tuesday, she was caught in a mistruth about never having been a member of the federal Conservatives (she was). Another former politician quickly weighed in.
Ms. Clark “thinks politics is saying whatever is required to win,” wrote former federal Liberal cabinet minister Catherine McKenna on X. “The worst kind of politics.”
There’s a lot of competition in the worst-kind-of-politics space these days.
Consider another tweet (or whatever they’re called now), this one sent by a Conservative Party insider. It was in response to a gracious post by former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole about Liberal MP Anita Anand. After Ms. Anand announced she would not seek re-election (or the Liberal leadership), Mr. O’Toole praised her dedication. If that alone was not enough of a contrast to the juvenile hate-fest coming from present-day Conservatives, get a load of the response from Conservative strategist Jenni Byrne. Pointing to Mr. O’Toole’s kind comment, Ms. Byrne wrote: “For anyone unsure why Erin is no longer Leader of the Conservative Party,” noting that Ms. Anand supported DEI policies, including pronouns, and tampons in men’s rooms.
The worst kind of politics. That is: the meanest, lowest, most graceless. And poorly calculated, to boot. That tweet made one person look terrible: Ms. Byrne.
Of course, she has a fine role model in childish behaviour in the Conservative Leader. Pierre Poilievre’s name-calling has now extended to Justin Trudeau’s potential successors (all of whom are “Just Like Justin,” states Mr. Poilievre’s latest schoolyard-level taunt, so as not to waste all the hatred he has helped generate for the Prime Minister).
It’s embarrassing. And dangerous, as Canada faces the worst kind of politics from the behemoth to the south.
Donald Trump – who, the U.S. special counsel’s report states, would have been convicted for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results had he not won in 2024 – has his eye on an Anschluss of Canada (and Greenland), and he’s got sycophants like Kevin O’Leary justifying his egregious comments about taking over this country. This isn’t funny and it is no joke. This is a threat.
Mr. Trump’s proposed tariffs alone should have stopped Canadian politicians in their petty tracks and brought them together to fight this real threat from abroad. Instead, with Parliament prorogued, they’re busy trying to score political points with impressive tactics like making fun of one other. This is what we’ve sunk to. The worst.
Tough talk, fearless honesty and patriotism should not only be coming from former and lame-duck prime ministers.
Mr. Trudeau responded to the Canada takeover talk by declaring “there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell.” To Mr. Trump, former prime minister Jean Chrétien cautioned “Give your head a shake!” in a forceful Globe and Mail commentary that called for unity amongst political opponents against the U.S. threat. “Mr. Trump’s offensive words must be met with a unified and robust response – a Canadian response,” wrote former federal cabinet minister Allan Rock. Former prime minister Stephen Harper said Mr. Trump does not sound like a “friend, a partner and an ally.”
Because of Mr. Trudeau’s departure from his leadership role (the right decision, but far too late to give the Liberals a snowball’s chance in the next election), Canada has a leadership vacuum at the worst possible time. And eyes are on the wrong ball. With infighting, name-calling and pettiness, the leadership vacancy extends to the entire country, far beyond the federal Liberals. Such that Ontario Premier Doug Ford ends up looking like Canada’s best chance at diplomacy.
This base politicking has wafted over the border from the U.S., where, as fires devastate Los Angeles, Mr. Trump is calling California Governor Gavin Newsom “Newscum.” This is not helpful. When the smoke clears, there will be time for accountability and pointing fingers. In a crisis, true grown-up leadership is required.
Los Angeles is a warning to the world. In addition to the imminent threats of U.S. tariffs and “economic force,” Canada also faces the existential threat of climate change. Our leaders should be collaborating in this critical moment rather than trying to score political points with insults and cheesy slogans.
Playing politics is trumping actual leadership. Is power that important? Shouldn’t job one be to protect the country? Perhaps gaining power is the route, the justification might go, to accomplishing that. But climbing over whoever’s in the way so obnoxiously and without proper regard for the real threats is ugly and irresponsible. It is, truly, the worst.