I would like to briefly add to the important question you raised recently regarding the possible effect of the recent US election on Canada.
It is quite likely that Trump’s success could reinforce the view that in the political arena anything goes and that the end justifies the means. There are political aspirants here, for example, Kellie Leitch, a candidate for the leadership of the Federal Conservative Party, who seem prepared to embrace fear-mongering and derision as a tool for political success.
It does not seem to matter that the President-elect of the most powerful country in the world responds to questions from a very talented female journalist by implying that she is having her menstrual period with “blood coming out of her – whatever”. It does not seem to matter that he implies that one of his female political opponents is so ugly that no one would “vote for a face like that”. It does not seem to matter that instead of responding to questions from a physically-challenged journalist, he mimics the journalist’s disability in front of hundreds of his supporters. And so on.
None of those things seem to matter. It appears that there is no such thing as decency in the body politic and It is naïve to think otherwise. It is held that the President-elect, once in office, will listen to his advisers, will do all the right things, and will create jobs for coal-miners and many others.
Although I am not an American I was named after President Roosevelt [FDR] who created millions of jobs in response to the worst economic crisis the US has ever faced. Rather than exploit the fears of the people, he assured them that “there was nothing to fear but fear itself”. That is leadership.
The President-elect has debased the political process. He has exacerbated the fissures that exist within that fragile society. I trust that this virus will not spread to “The True North”. To remain “strong and free” we have “to stand on guard”. Let’s hope that Canada remains “A Just Society” wherein political discourse is carried out in a more civilized manner.
Roosevelt R.
