Irum Khan
To gauge the mood of young voters in Canada, I interrogated a student of PhD about the political ecosystem in the country. In dejection he quipped, “We have a dictator as the PM and an opposition without spine.”
Recently Justin Trudeau, the prime-ministerial candidate of the Liberal Party, has written to Prime Minister Stephen Harper prompting him to act against the staffers involved in Mike Duffy scandal. Shrewd move. The only oversight in this is a delay of two years. Had Trudeau grasped political precision from his father Pierre Trudeau, he would have unfailingly imbibed into his acumen a lesson famously quoted by Trudeau Senior– “The essential ingredient of politics is timing.”
Trudeau had two years with him to write this letter. He missed it. The only opposition he reportedly offered at the time of Duffy incident unraveling was, an online petition and a statement of concern.
He should have known that petitions are overrated. In the game of politics petitions hardly stimulate leave alone game change. The job of signing petitions is best assigned to NGOs.
By writing to Harper now, Trudeau has made a last ditch attempt to qualify his claim as commanding opposition. Regrettably, the time has passed.
It’s not the first time that Trudeau has screwed up on his political timing. He deliberately delayed a reply, when Harper questioned his “readiness” to be the next PM. He should have stuck to the original plan of no-response. A wiser opposition would have ignored the accusation. But as anticipated, the Liberals did not disappoint with their delayed and silly defence, “Justin is clearly ready.” Seriously Liberals??
The charge against the Liberals as opposition in not limited to meekness alone. Anyone who has followed Party’s Facebook account for two years would have a fair idea about the lack of diligence Liberals display when it comes to raising issues of concern. Their social media updates in the last two years embodied Liberals as a community organisation rather than an aggressive opposition. If one scrolls through their numerous posts encompassing Trudeau’s selfies, welcoming of new entrants to the party, fund raising, and event updates, issues raised willy nilly, it’s easy to conclude that the party has offered uninspiring leadership over the years. Barring this election year Liberals have miserably failed in projecting themselves as vociferous opposition.
They fumble while explaining Trudeau’s stand on Bill 51. And when Trudeau talks about the Bill he echoes Harper. He opposes Tom Mulcair’s minimum $15 wage policy without providing a comparable alternative.
He lets Mulcair do the talking on the controversial subject of domestic radicalisation.
The country witnessed muted Liberals as Harper unabashedly encouraged Israel bombing of Palestine. It took an election year for Trudeau to speak about Mohammed Fahmy’s obnoxious arrest.
Ditto to Harper, Trudeau’s blueprint in reviving the economy of Canada does not promise radical changes in the status quo. This was his chance. Anti-incumbency of 10 years is enough for any opposition to create an anti-government stir but Trudeau satiated by creating bubbles instead. Much to the rejoice of Harper government, the Liberals have been a generous opposition.
A media report recently applauded Trudeau for being a crowd charmer, much in conformation to my first impression of Trudeau. He enthusiastically obliged the crowd with their requests for selfies. The Trudeau I saw was real. A social animal but a novice politician.
He commands space in social media and his fascination for this platform is accurately placed. The world has witnessed fates of several elections being overturned with the onset of social media revolution. Indian parliamentary elections of 2014 is case in point.
Interestingly, recent polls show a swing towards the NDP. There is no surprise element in this. Mulcair’s leadership is commanding, vulnerable when needed, connective and impressively scathing of Harper’s lapses.
Democracy equates leadership to power and Mulcair has gauged that.
It’s time for Trudeau to stop singing Tory song with a Liberal tune.
Connect with Irum Khan on Twitter @irumkhan