Trudeau's Path Back to Glory
At the halfway point of the mandate, there is still time to right the ship, but a renewed sense of urgency is required.
The grounding of the Prime Minister’s plane in India was a fitting coda to what has been a forgettable summer for the government.
Sagging polls, a grumbling caucus, and a confident opposition have left the Liberals in a rut.
But with a dose of self-reflection, a renewed sense of purpose, and a willingness to fight, Parliament’s return could mark the moment the Liberals right the ship.
For starters, the prime minister must accept that a problem exists. How bad a problem is debatable. But any clear-eyed observer can see Canadians are not pleased with the government.
Rather than fighting the trend, the government should channel its energy to reverse it. Building off the ‘robust’ and ‘frank’ discussions at last week’s Liberal caucus retreat, the prime minister ought to offer his colleagues a new political strategy and set of tactics.
The first change? Taking a page from Stephen Harper’s playbook and focusing on five priorities.
At the top of the list is housing affordability. Canadians understand that addressing it will take time and requires cooperation between all levels of government. But they also expect more from the federal government. And rightly so. Further bold, significant investments in the Fall Economic Statement would be wise.
Next, the government should re-double its ‘green transition’ efforts, building on their early successes. This is comfortable ground for the Liberals, ably led by Innovation Minister Champagne. It also takes advantage of Conservatives’ no-show on one of the most prominent issues of the day.
While fierce global competition makes for a pricey battle, showcasing Canada as a popular global investment destination means the prime minister and his team can talk up what makes Canada and Canadians so great. An everyone loves a compliment.
Other priorities could include protecting minority rights against culture war policies favoured by provincial and federal Conservatives; a more robust and principled foreign and defence policy; and a sound fiscal plan to manage sluggish global economic growth.
A narrowed policy focus will have its detractors and will require steely nerves to see through. But the result of a more focused government message is a greater likelihood that Canadians feel a plan is in place.
Borrowing from yet another insurgent leader, Trudeau the pugilist ought to rewatch Braveheart, paying careful attention to Sir William Wallace’s simple yet inspiring plan to ‘go pick a fight.’
And there are plenty of villains for him to choose from. They include sleazy gate-keeping developers holding up new home construction, politically craven premiers seeking electoral success on the backs of kids and 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and whingeing far-right wingers who call for ‘freedom’ but only when it fits their worldview.
The time will come to introduce the real Pierre Poilievre to Canadians. For now, though, the prime minister ought to channel Canadians’ anger towards those who are responsible for causing it.
That same sense of passion should also be directed towards election readiness efforts.
While time is on the government’s side due to its supply and confidence agreement with the NDP, avoiding complacency is crucial.
Staffing up the party office, ramping up engagement at the riding level, and kicking fundraising efforts into high gear will ensure the Liberals are on the front foot.
More importantly, being election ready is a good litmus test for the party’s broader organizational skills which have eroded since 2015.
Indeed, one could argue that while Mr. Poilievre has had a successful run as opposition leader, it is largely due to Liberal stumbles rather than his own performance.
More plainly, Liberals must reject the notion that sleep-walking into an election loss is acceptable.
Yes, recent polls have been grim, but now is no time for panic. Politics is not static and counting out Justin Trudeau has never been a good bet.
Stop the handwringing, do the work, and use the return of Parliament to unleash a new battle-cry.