On the Canadian Campaign Trail

 

The loud protests that now dog Justin Trudeau’s campaign stops are reprehensible. I suspect they are also likely to work.

Canadians crave consensus. Canada is historically run from the centre. The squeaking wheel can generally get whatever they want, to preserve consensus, so long as they are not given power. The indigenous people have recently been exploiting this tendency enthusiastically; Quebec did so for decades under the separatists. The feminists have done it over abortion. If even a small minority seems very strongly against something, everyone else will back away. I suspect a lot of people are going to back away from the Liberals as a result of this.

Unless, that is, anyone can trace it back to the Conservative Party. If they can, the Conservatives have no chance of being given power.

Conversely, although his platform is without principle, and he was caught recently shifting his position on gun control even in the middle of the campaign, Erin O’Toole may have the right formula to get elected in Canada. As Bill Davis used to say, “bland works.” Or, as F.R. Scott said of Mackenzie King, the Commonwealth’s longest serving prime minister, “never do by halves what can be done by quarters." Stephen Harper, the last Conservative prime minister, was pretty buttoned-down and low-key.

Canadians want peace and quiet. 

Trudeau may have made a mistake, accordingly, by being too visible during the COVID crisis. Canadians really do not want to see that much of their politicians.