Key Takeaways:
- There are sectors and segments of society that the Trudeau government is blind to.
- Being the leader of the opposition is like being a cat in the presence of a laser pointer: you can’t help but chase what the government beams into your face.
In a minority Parliament, the temptation is more significant, as the government seeks short-term victories to boost its popularity ahead of re-election. But, as an opponent, it takes willpower to turn away from shiny government tactics in search of a more long-term strategy.
Therefore, it was encouraging to see Erin O’Toole’s response to the government’s throne speech focusing on a longer-term goal. At the same time, some may argue that inflation, O’Toole’s primary target, is global and thus beyond Justin Trudeau’s control; its effects on Canadian families are unavoidable.
The Conservatives may lack answers, but it is their responsibility to ask the questions Canadians want to be answered, and the rising cost of living is on everyone’s mind.
That isn’t to say that inflation affects everyone equally if you’re a public-sector bureaucrat due for an inflation-adjusted pay raise or a knowledge worker who can earn big bucks working from home.
You’re probably not as affected by gas prices or takeout food as someone who has to leave the house to earn a living. To put it another way, MPs are not feeling the pinch. Culture is the trap for O’Toole. To win, he must re-center politics on class rather than culture. Charging people for saying things like “(Trudeau) wants Canadians to live in shame” scratches an itch (which may or may not be right), but it doesn’t address any of the structural issues that face core Canada.
O’Toole should focus on reforming winner-take-all capitalism and building social capital by fostering connections within and between communities. Rather than following the crust’s lead and putting Canadians in irreconcilable identity boxes.
Source: Ottawa citizen
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