OLIVER: Progressives are out of step with voters in North America

Breadcrumb Trail Links

Columnists

Published Nov 24, 2024 • Last updated 6 minutes ago • 3 minute read

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

Former President Donald Trump walks to make comments to members of the media after a jury convicted him of felony crimes for falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election, at Manhattan Criminal Court, May 30, 2024, in New York. Photo by Seth Wenig /THE ASSOCIATED PRESSArticle content

Almost half of Americans, most Canadians and many Europeans are in various stages of disbelief, grief, outrage and fear because Donald J. Trump decisively won the U.S. election. They need to get over it for their psychological health and the
good of their countries. While a post-election sex strike is as credible as threats to leave the country, if Americans did flee to Canada they would be more welcome without the threat of Lysistrata.

Advertisement 2

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.

THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors

Don’t have an account? Create Account

Article content

Recommended Videos

Democrats would be ill-advised to try again to destroy Trump’s capacity to govern with false accusations of foreign influence and criminality. Democrats should learn from their defeat and put the country over the party. That would be better for democracy and the future of the Democratic Party.

Fevered warnings about fascism and the end of constitutional democracy did not resonate beyond those afflicted with the Trump Derangement Syndrome who are blaming each other as well as poor messaging, Russian interference and misguided or even bigoted voters, especially Latinos, black men and white women – anything but their policies.

Critically, Harris did not convincingly respond to voters’ substantive concerns – inflation, especially the cost of food, energy and housing, stagnant personal earnings growth, ten million illegal immigrants, homelessness, crime and a weak foreign policy. Also, the Biden/Harris government alienated many Americans with elitist and illiberal cultural obsessions and fringe woke fetishes, like biological men competing against women and transitioning teenage girls, captured by the slogan “She’s for they/them, he’s for you.”

Your Midday Sun

Thanks for signing up!

Article content

Advertisement 3

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Liberals are making the same mistake as Democrats – trying to engender fear of Pierre Poilievre who allegedly represents a Trump-like threat to democracy and the Canadian way of life. It will fail because it mischaracterizes Poilievre, a caring
a middle-class family man whose common sense message of competent government and pride in Canada and its core values resonates across the country with all socio-economic and cultural groups.

It is also a dangerous tactic because the Canadian government has an overarching need to get along with the new Republican Administration, a task made more difficult by the obvious contempt several Liberal cabinet ministers have for the incoming President, including Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland. Not surprisingly, Trump does not like her or Justin Trudeau, whom he called ‘weak’ and a ‘far left lunatic’. Trump is likely to work more collegially with a Conservative government than one mired in socialism, climate alarmism, woke ideology and insufferable virtue signalling.

Advertisement 4

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Furthermore, Trudeau’s own legacy is replete with authoritarianism and disrespect for parliamentary democracy. The most egregious example is the invocation of the draconian Emergencies Act and freezing of over 400 bank accounts and Bitcoin
wallets, which the Federal Court found to be unreasonable and ultra vires. Trudeau interfered in the justice system by personally pressuring Jody Wilson-Raybould, the Justice Minister and Attorney General, to intervene in criminal proceedings against SNC Lavalin. He prorogued Parliament in the midst of the WE scandal. He did little to counter hostile foreign interference in Canada’s elections, defence and national security and then tried to cover up his inaction.

Advertisement 5

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Numerous factors caused the Liberal collapse in the polls, starting with antipathy to Trudeau personally. They include a weak economy, inflation, a stagnant standard of living, high taxes, especially the hated carbon tax, unaffordable housing for first-time buyers, a surge in violent crime, unsustainable immigration, hostility to resource development, identity politics, antipathy to Canada’s history and traditions, western Canadian alienation and the rise of the Parti Québécois.

Rather than learn from the Democratic debacle, Trudeau seems oblivious to the real issues Canadians care about as he heads down the road to electoral obliteration.

– Joe Oliver was the Minister of Natural Resources and Minister of Finance in the government of Stephen Harper

Article content

Share this article in your social network

Source link : http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=67439701e5f649bc9c0e8202198816e8&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftorontosun.com%2Fopinion%2Fcolumnists%2Foliver-progressives-are-out-of-step-with-voters-in-north-america&c=14121400100527276736&mkt=en-us

Author :

Publish date : 2024-11-24 08:07:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.