On Monday we had a snap federal election. Our fearless leader, Justin Trudeau, thought that his popularity could secure him a majority government, so he called for a quickie. “I have to do it fast,” he thought, “before I act like a bonehead again and people change their minds!”
Actually, I don’t blame him for wanting a majority. That way, he can move more easily to carry out his government’s platform without deferring to the other parties. Any other leader would have, at the very least, thought about doing exactly the same. I believe that most would have seized the opportunity.
But two things really irritated me. The first is that he wouldn’t admit to the simple fact that a majority would have made governing a whole lot easier, and the second is that he went ahead with the election despite Canadians’ express desire that he not do so, and especially not with the pandemic still going on. Given that he had two more years left in his mandate, there was absolutely no need to put us through it, including having to pay for the costs of it.
So we slapped his hands, and deservedly so. We gifted him with his very own version of Bill Murray’s Groundhog Day in the form of another minority.
The new seat distribution in Parliament is almost identical to that of the 2019 election. There was little movement at all, although there may be some slight adjustments given that mail-ins are still being counted.
The cold hard fact is that the public has spoken, and we want a minority government. We are not going to turn over the shop to one party. In the end, we don’t trust any of them enough to do that. We have given them their marching orders: an expectation that the parties will work together to represent all of us and will stop trying to do what’s in their best interests instead of ours.
Good. They need to pay attention and go to work. All of them.
In the Net! - Pictures and Stories of Life 
Your opening paragraph gave me a good chuckle. What a complete waste of time and money as we’re pretty much right back where we started. It’s kind of funny how Trudeau made a bold move to call that snap election, but then didn’t follow through with a bold election platform.
I’m glad you got a chuckle. 🙂 I couldn’t agree more. Election platform? What’s that?? And on top of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more divisive campaign. Terrible.
This “photo op waiting for a place to happen” is totally vacuous about the needs of Canadians. He is all image and no substance. Why is the outcome for all of Canada controlled by the votes of 2 major population areas? And the cost to Canadians could be much higher than the $610 million of a very unnecessary election. I am sure his pseudo equality pattern will get him in trouble again with women, minorities and the persecuted. All we ask from politicians is that they work together for the common good and all they seem to do is divide us into opposing camps. We do not want right or left, we want them to protect our lives and livelihood, without bankrupting the country. Stimulate growth with real ideas, not just money for all. Perhaps that is all too much to ask. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Lynette. Allan
Hahaha. 🙂 There’s not much we can do about those concentrated population areas; they have to be represented too, but I understand what you mean. We’re either being driven by those areas or by the wacky fringe. We need electoral reform (although we will get more minorities as a result – I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all). Like you, I want these people to work together and to stop the divisive fighting. I’m sick of it.
It was such a collasal waste of both time and money all to put the PM’s ego in check. I certainly hope the Liberal party takes a good look at their leader, I believe he needs a reckoning for putting Canadian’s through more stress during such a trying time.
Agreed. The clear message was for them to get back to work and stop behaving in such an opportunistic manner. I don’t think Trudeau will face much from his own party (too bad) but the electorate has certainly told him to pipe down and do his job. I doubt that many of these politicians (of any flavour) will hear it, though.
It’s a sad state of affairs all around.
Yes, definitely. Such a bunch of buffoons.
If some Canadians still have “an expectation that the parties will work together to represent all of us,” hope must spring eternal in the Canadian breast. In America, we’re way past that, to the point of being sadly laughable.
Hahaha. 🙂 I don’t think that many really believe that, especially not after this very divisive campaign, but that was part of the extremely decisive message that the electorate sent. The minority government situation can be very effective however, and does tend to force cooperation. If these politicians don’t, we will face another quick election, and I don’t want to think about the backlash that could produce.
Sadly, I agree with you!
But, I would certainly like to see them get back to work for all Canadians and start being accountable for their own actions!
Definitely. Accountability is desperately needed, but our only recourse is an election unless and until we come up with something more effective!
I’d’ve preferred no election, but given it was happening, then a very very VERY slim Lib majority just to keep things stable — but if this result finally humbles the Libs on a permanent basis, and encourages O’Toole to remain moderate and galvanizes the Green Party to shape up (and oh please sinks the PPC), then this will do fine — I hope no party would dare take advantage of the minority and force another election!
Yes, agreed. I have frequently felt that whoever is advising Trudeau is not providing good guidance (or perhaps he’s just stubborn and/or arrogant ) as he makes the most idiotic decisions at times. I wanted a Liberal minority as well. I don’t think O’Toole is going to last. It looks like he’s going to get turfed by his own party for moving toward the centre. I don’t know what’s going to happen to the Greens. Annamie Paul came across to me as quite self-centred (most politicians are, but I found her combination of anger and self-absorption to be rather off-putting). And yes, no PPC seats! I agree that any party daring to cause an election in the next couple of years is probably going to wind up as very burnt toast (and would deserve it)!
Trudeau does seem to lack judgment, doesn’t he? And maybe it is an enduring Liberal complacency… I find I hope O’Toole lasts (as long as he lasts in his new, more centrist guise), for fear of the party moving right again and pandering to PPC-style policies
I agree. Maybe it’s part of his upbringing in a rarified atmosphere. Whatever the reason, I think he’s rather opinionated and unable to listen to advice that runs counter to what he thinks is the right thing. O’Toole is trying to move the Cons into a more centrist position, yes, but that’s going to be difficult given some of the fringe elements.
I feel the Conservative Party has a moral decision to make here, not just political: will it value honesty, legality and civility, or will it pander to the PPC constituency in the hope of what might look like easy growth? We’ve seen what has happened to the GOP; yes, “it can happen here.”
There is definitely that weird fringy GOP-like crowd here. Unfortunately I think they won’t be able to give up the easy votes and will toss O’Toole aside. They have other issues too; they can’t secure much in the way of urban seats and even lost ground in Calgary and Edmonton. Unless they start taking a higher path, the entire party will devolve into something PPC-ish. Then a replacement party of some kind will rise. At least that seems to be the pattern.
or maybe their only hope for urban vote growth is to stabilize as centre-right and be seen as sophisticated enough, 21st-c. enough, inclusive enough, for urban loyalty…
Yes, I couldn’t agree more.