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The reason, we now know, was that the RCMP received a credible threat against the Liberal leader. Certainly Canada has not been without political violence, but this felt like something new and ominous.
Canada to have 50 million people, half of them immigrant families, by 2041
Canada to have 50 million people, half of them immigrant families, by 2041
The rise of physical threats, verbal insults, poisonous social media, ideological divisions and attacks on the media represent a coarsening of our political culture. “Polarization” is the new buzzword in Canada. Call this the Americanization of Canadian politics.
Politics has always been a blood sport in Canada. For a decade, Lester Pearson and John Diefenbaker engaged in a low, wasting catfight in Parliament. Dirty tricks and attack ads have been around for a while. Despite that, we have retained an image of congeniality and politeness.
Today, we sound increasingly like Americans, who have abandoned civility in their politics. The president now uses expletives routinely and assails, in scorched-earth tones, the character of his adversaries.
Instead of the best of American democracy, we have borrowed the worst: threats, lies, attack ads, dogma. It diminishes us all.
