The tide is running against Justin Trudeau. Michael Harris writes:
Poll after poll has shown that a lot of Canadians are stomping their feet for the current prime minister to resign right now before the next election. There is an impetuous push to see the back end of the man who has led the country for eight—often turbulent—years, including through the crushing COVID-19 pandemic.
The latest Leger poll, an online effort that cannot be assigned a margin of error for that reason, found that 50 per cent of respondents want Trudeau to resign before the next election—including one in four respondents who identified as Liberals.
There are lots of reasons for that sentiment:
For a young couple these days, they must win the lottery to be able to buy a house. Even with the government’s interest-free saving accounts, and other measures announced by Housing Minister Sean Fraser, home ownership seems a distant, fevered dream.
For many Canadians, the monthly grocery bill has become a mortgage payment. Food banks across the country are reporting record demand. Some estimates claim that 10 per cent of Canadians have sought assistance in putting food on the table. They used to deal with big banks, not food banks.
Health care, once the signature accomplishment of Canadian public life, has turned into a hospital waiting-room where your name and number is never called. After Green Party Leader Elizabeth May had her recent stroke, she wrote a poignant piece in The Tyee about what it was like to go through that traumatic experience without a family doctor.
But caution is required. Six years ago, Ontarians left Kathleen Wynne's government with nine seats in the legislature. Two years ago, they reduced that number to seven. Today, the majority of Ontarians regret their decision to hand over the reins to Doug Ford.
Anger and wisdom make strange bedfellows. They should sleep in separate beds.
Image: The Hill Times
18 comments:
Government doesn't set the prices for food nor do they sell food. Why do we blame the government for high food prices? Government doesn't even tax food!
You likely know I am not a big fan of the Jr. Trudeau....
How come the (dubious) polling stories make the front page in BC but the Maple Ridge battery plant announcement is buried deep in the business section?
Perhaps its the same editorial team that talks about 'Israelis killed/Palestinians died'.
Exactly Owen, beware the alternative....!
It's called selective editing, PoV.
People are buying Poilievre's whopper, Gordie -- "Everything is broken."
From the frying pan into the fire, Rural.
I have heard people, over the years , say they are bored with the current government and want somebody new. That's a pretty poor reason to abandon policy direction and performance.
We got Harper and Harris from these bored voters. Then they got boring and it was time for a change.It's a rather silly cycle.
I am frequently surprised by the unrealistic views people have of government and its role in our lives. It seems many are seeking a cosmic Santa Claus, not responsible government.
This is democracy. The progressives have had their opportunity, and their policies have been found wanting. The people are always right when it comes to for whom they vote. Unless, of course, you don't believe in democracy. AN
It is a silly cycle, rumley. And we wind up regretting our choices.
Over the years I have always been bemused by the people who decide to vote against a 2 term government because they are bored and want a change. Policy and performance mean nothing to these low information voters.
JM
We fundamentally misunderstand how government works, Lorne. At some point in our lives, we're supposed to learn that there is no Santa Claus.
Democracy gives us freedom of choice, AN. That doesn't mean that we always make good choices.
Should we ever have really good Government and they go astray then I think it better to give them a spanking and tell them to smarten up rather than looking to that spiffy shit disturber looking to make a name for him or herself.
Between elections we give scant attention to real issues, only sound bites!
Add to this those that give us the Government are often not as well informed as , I think, they should be to cast a vote!
As practiced, Democracy is much overrated it's deficiencies stare us in our face.
Here in Canada we have political discourse dictated by a monopoly of USA media monopolies be it directly as in Post Media or the open borders USA media that gives us FOX and it's wannabees!
Even the social media is USA centric and has little regard to Canadian independence or desires.
Many years ago I had reservations when confronted with 'Canadian Content rules"
I recant those feelings and wonder what happened to those Canadian visionaries?
TB
"Government doesn't set the prices for food nor do they sell food. Why do we blame the government for high food prices? Government doesn't even tax food!"
That is correct but when the price of basic foods rises beyond normal/inflation it is obvious to those of us without an Economics Degree that something is out of whack!
When Galen Weston, arrogantly, blows off public opinion and demonstrates his elitism, we know the Boss of Prices doesn't care about anything else but profits. Profiteering from basic food supplies is, in my mind criminal. The only people who can police these states of affairs is Government. The fact that they don't shows they are complicit in these 'crimes against the consumer'
The answer, whether you like to hear this is an "exorbitant price" tax.
I will not hold my breath waiting for one.
The visionaries were replaced by NAFTA apologists, TB. NAFTA was the answer to everything.
Those who vote for change simply for the sake of change will get chaos, JM.
Government is there to set the rules, Ben. Whether or not the rules are fair depends on the government.
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