John Robson: Liberal Leadership Candidates Should Run on Solid Ideas, Putting Love of Country First

The lectern is installed before keynote addresses at the 2023 Liberal National Convention in Ottawa on May 4, 2023. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang

Commentary

With HMCS Liberal holed, listing, and gunwales awash, someone must grasp the unresponsive helm as an electoral typhoon approaches, because the captain who put it on the rocks is disinclined to go down with his ship. But if you were that shipmate, what course might you try to set?

Some are scurrying over the side, not up the mast, citing love of country to duck a pounding. Others, to borrow a phrase from John Ehrlichmann, have “inexplicable … ambitions.” Not me; to borrow a phrase from Pogo, they can lose in easier ways. But here’s my message in a bottle.

First, put love of country ahead of love of party and focus on ideas, not tricks. Including avoiding foghorn anti-American chauvinism for specific positive reasons. Canada deserves loyalty.

Speaking of tricks, a “source close to [Mark] Carney’s thinking” opined neutrally in a National Post article that he has a bagful: “as governor of the Bank of Canada, Carney steered Canada through the 2008 global financial crisis, protecting Canadians’ homes, jobs and livelihoods in entire sectors, like the auto sector, under the Conservative Harper government. Later, as governor of the Bank of England, he dealt with the threat of populist politics with Brexit.”

With precisely one tool, the “overnight rate” of interest banks pay on outstanding balances, you’d have to be a wizard to accomplish all that stuff and prevent inflation. And maybe magic can lift the ship right into the sky.

In case it can’t, two Liberal MPs unwilling to put hand to wheel suddenly discovered they never really supported Justin Trudeau’s policies and attitudes, and in a National Post op-ed made suggestions starting with “Unapologetically showing pride in being Canadian: Canada is not a post-national state.” OK. Pride in what? Alas, they don’t say.

Then “Focusing on growing our trade relationships.” How? Um uh “show leadership to galvanize all levels of government, the business community, labour and others to build relationships.” Shiver me timbers! Build relationships by building relationships and lead by calling for others to lead? Maybe HMCS Vacuity needs officers.

Then there’s “Prioritizing economic growth” by um uh “co-operation with the provinces,” so “what is important to regulate is regulated but unnecessary trade barriers and bureaucracy are removed.” As shallow as this ship will soon be deep.

“Protecting and strengthening the services Canadians value” shows world-class unoriginality. As for wanting “Services such as health care” to be “improved, and their sustainability ensured,” if we had that chart we wouldn’t be on this shoal.

Likewise, belay chatter about “Strengthening fiscal responsibility,” especially since these two non-Nelsons want to spend everything on everything for everybody. Even if “Spending should be evidence-based” instead of whatever they spent a decade voting for. And “lower tax rates for everyone” founders in like fashion.

“Keeping Canadians safe” sounds lovely. Until they praise existing “gun control measures” and call for “leadership” in keeping communities safe. And “Restoring integrity to our immigration system” by strengthening our capacity to strengthen our capacity. No such gusts will get them off these rocks.

Certainly, “Protecting Canada’s Jewish community” is urgent. Or rather, its Jewish citizens; I’m not big on group identity. But can we talk about the limits of multiculturalism and moral relativism? Or do we simply have to “set a tone and demand all governments take action,” again leading by calling for someone else to lead?

“Implementing a principled and pragmatic foreign policy” is a stinging rebuke to all who advocate an unprincipled and self-defeating one, matey. But how do we meet the NATO minimum 2 percent of GDP on defence if we’re all-in on social programs we already can’t afford? Capsize onto another sunken ship laden with treasure?

Personally, I love Canada because, as Sir Wilfrid Laurier said, “Canada is free and freedom is its nationality.” And you may lay to that.

So I’d fix trade by unilaterally freeing our own, especially internally. I’d cut spending, taxes, and regulation and stop trying to make people healthy, wealthy, and wise through state coercion. Including deep-sixing the Canada Health Act as dangerous ballast.

I’d repeal restrictions on law-abiding gun owners, impose serious brig time for assault with a weapon, and cut immigration to 100,000 a year. I’d say ideas matter, and people who consider the West oppressive, genocidal, or Satanic should not be allowed in, or pandered to if they are citizens, especially with cushy academic posts. And I’d eliminate federal funds to universities.

Finally, I’d triple defence spending with money saved from ditching harmful social programs. How can our once-great nation be reduced to paying Czechia to make ammunition for Ukraine?

Whichever scapegoat gets tethered to the wheel of HCMS Liberal won’t hoist a classical liberal pennant. But to do Canada a service before meeting Davey Jones, they should run on ideas and methods, not bleat clichés. Let those go down with the ship.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.