The words are from the Bible. Specifically, they are from Ecclesiastes 3. Those words tell us that everything happens at the right time. Now the passage might well apply to what happens to political parties and their leaders in the fullness of time. Justin Trudeau has begun the lengthy process of folding his tent and riding away from the prime minister’s office. He was once the golden boy of Canadian politics but, in the end, became the victim of a complex set of circumstances that had even his own caucus turn against him. Justin Trudeau went into political free fall. Stuff happens.
Was it his fault? Perhaps it just had to be that way. About a decade is all you get at the head of political party in our Canada before the banshees begin to wail. Smallwood had to go despite being “The Father of Confederation.” Diefenbaker had to go. He went from a massive majority to a point where he was clinging by his fingernails to the leadership of his own Progressive Conservative Party. Brian Mulroney, our 37th Prime Minister, HAD to go. You know, in the end, everyone has to go. It is the nature of politics. If you can squeeze more than a decade out of being the leader of a political party in this nation you are doing okay.
People often are just voting for change. I believe firmly in that. People, who for varied reasons blame the government for the way their lives are going, vote against that government. When that happens, policies don’t matter that much. Philosophical points of view don’t matter. Batman and Robin couldn’t save John Diefenbaker, Joe Smallwood or Justin Trudeau. Their time had come, and welcomes had been worn out. Whether that is justified doesn’t matter at all. In the end all electorates come to a place where they want change. It isn’t written on any ballot and not always articulated, but CHANGE is often the central issue. My grandmother used to say, “A change is as good as a rest.”
Now lies ahead the great challenge for the Liberals. The question is whether or not in a leadership race can the national need for change be satisfied? It can happen. Remember when Frank Moores resigned as premier? Brian Peckford won the PC leadership, and that contest satisfied the Newfoundland electorate’s desire for change. That doesn’t always work but it CAN work and with the Liberals time will tell. I wouldn’t bet the house and farm on their chances but they do have chances despite the fall from favour of Justin Trudeau. Pierre Poilievre hasn’t exactly been sweeping the country off its feet. As I am fond of saying: we shall see.
As an aside and for the record, I was a fan of Justin Trudeau at the beginning. He was bright and I liked his style for a while. That “style” unfortunately included a penchant for “dressing up” on occasion. You remember the “blackface” incident from his early days and assorted costumes that didn’t sit well with me. Not hanging offences for sure, but irritants to anybody with a grain of sense.
I also parted company with Justin philosophically over something that happened when Cuba’s Fidel Castro died. Justin’s dad, Pierre Trudeau, had made a much talked about visit to Castro. It was long before Pierre entered politics. Pierre Trudeau spoke Spanish and he and Fidel had in-depth conversations. There was that aspect of Pierre that was “revolutionary”. His relationship with Fidel Castro was that of friend and such that when Pierre Trudeau died in July of 2020 the government of Canada received word that Fidel Castro wanted to attend the funeral. It was a stunning gesture.
That is why when Castro died, and Justin Trudeau did NOT go to his funeral, I was disappointed. He spoke well of Castro but didn’t go. I thought he should have been there. Now that didn’t bring down “The House of Trudeau,” but it was just a little thing. One of those “little things new” is just time. Everybody gets ticked off eventually. As the Bible says: “To everything there is a season.”
You can contact Jim Furlong at [email protected]