By The Company They Keep


Freelance columnist, Supriya Dwivedi, writes that "Canada needs a healthy Conservative party. Not whatever this is."


There are consequences to peddling misinformation and refusing to overtly condemn extremist rhetoric, as any journalist who has had to counter misinformation can tell you.

So it’s especially worrying to see CPC MPs who are explicitly egging the protesters on by calling the prime minister the “biggest threat to freedom in Canada,” stating he has a “vaccine vendetta,” all the while turning a blind eye or making excuses for the more troubling aspects of the protesters and the extreme, violent language they are using.

The vast majority of truckers are fully vaccinated. The truckers who made their way to Ottawa represent a fringe minority. Political parties looking to be taken seriously do not usually try to pander to fringe minorities that are increasingly out of touch with the majority of accessible voters, though the Conservatives are certainly the exception to that.

As the Canadian Anti-Hate Network has reported, some of the organizers and supporters of the Freedom Convoy have very clear far-right elements to them and are overtly advocating for violence. To deny that a sizable portion of this protest movement has hateful elements to it is either wilfully blind or incredibly stupid.


The truckers represent a larger problem for the Conservatives, who keep pandering to the extremist elements of their base. Every political party has its own gaggle of objectionable supporters. Ideally, though, a party’s official strategy doesn’t include trying to actively appeal to them. Once you do, it’s hard to convince normal voters that your party should form government.

Our unfortunate reality is that one of the two parties in regular contention to form government has sitting, prominent members who spew all sorts of conspiracy theory nonsense and have spent the better part of the last decade either disregarding the more troubling aspects of their voter base, or trying to directly pander to them.


Yet the dominant political narrative in this country continues to pretend that voters are choosing between the political equivalent of Coke and Pepsi.


Canada desperately needs a healthy Conservative party. Not whatever this is.

Comments

  1. TrailblazerJanuary 31, 2022 at 7:18 PM

    Unfortunately US political methods of operation have entered the Canadian lexicon.
    No thanks to those that opposed Canadian content!
    That our politicians hang on to the coat tails of American euphemisms is problematic.
    Phrases and sayings such as the "Freedom Rally' or whatever could soon be joined by cries for the right to bare arms.
    As the Canadian Conservatives continue to bottom feed rather than be original and, dare i say it, progressive! we are in for government without opposition, a situation Justin Trudeau must look forward to.

    TB



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Disaffected LibJanuary 31, 2022 at 11:54 PM

      These protestors and their antics have done the Tories no favours, TB. The Conservatives are so fearful of Bernier they're willing to risk the undecided vote in the middle.

      Delete
  2. Northern PoVJanuary 31, 2022 at 8:53 PM

    It looks like Erin is about to be toppled. Fast breaking news since you posted this!!

    As the CON brand still seems to attract 35% of the votes (like dead flies), even while decomposing before our very eyes, the next placeholder, even the execrable Pierre Potttymouth could be PM.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Disaffected LibJanuary 31, 2022 at 11:55 PM

      Poilievre is looking forward to the short move to Stornoway, NPoV. He's a nasty little shit.

      Delete

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