Thursday, November 15, 2012

From Platitude Central

Kim Campbell once famously said that  "an election is no time to discuss serious issues." Given the paucity of substance emerging thus far from declared candidates in both the Ontario and federal Liberal leadership races, I suspect that same 'wisdom' applies to leadership aspirants.

In the time leading up to selection of the next round of political saviours, it is my intention to track those platitudes regularly in order to chronicle the sad state of political discourse in this country; regrettably, it is a discourse debased not only by the ever-ready opportunistic attacks by opposition parties, but also by our own refusal as citizens to face up to unpleasant realities.

To begin this series, may I recommend perusal of Thomas Walkom's column in today's Toronto Star? In it, Walkom explores the utterances of young Justin Trudeau, the likely soon-to-be anointed next messiah to lead the federal Liberals out of the political wilderness (please forgive the cliche - it just seems so apt here).

The gist of Walkom's criticism is the platitudinous nature of Trudeau's utterances thus far, and of course it is a criticism that too readily applies to all current leadership aspirants on both levels of government:

Youth unemployment? Trudeau spoke firmly against it and said something must be done. It’s only when the reporter checked his notes later that he realized the candidate had never quite said what.

Medicare? The existing system, said Trudeau, is not sustainable. A serious conversation is needed. Otherwise medicare will die from benign neglect.

The most specific he got was in talking of the need for [m]ore emphasis on prevention. More home care. But all without more federal money.

And so the dance of triteness goes on, I suspect with more than a small cadre of media members and the electorate willing to have 'sweet nothings' whispered in their ears.

5 comments:

  1. I caught some of Hall Findlay's list of platitudes on Evan Solomon's P&P program. She wants to put an end to 'supply management' economics. Is she talking about shutting down agricultural marketing boards? Harper has already destroyed the Canadian Wheat Board. Not only did she not define what she meant, she didn't bother explaining what the problem was. She just threw out a string of right wing economic memes, including her large and small private sector business experience. (I guess providing legal counsel to both multinationals and SMEs makes her an experienced business leader.)

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    1. Until the media insists on better from those who would lead us, Beijing, I suspect all we will get is more of the same.

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  2. It's all reminiscent of that old Robert Redford movie "The Candidate." Have you seen it, Lorne? At the end, after he has won the election, he turns to his campaign manager and says, "Now what do we do?"

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    1. I have heard of the film but have never seen it, Owen. i will check it out at the earliest opportunity.

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    2. That is an excellent film, Owen. Sad that that US style of politicking has bled over the border.

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