Well, we’re in the thick of it now. Election 2021 is under way across the country. The fear of COVID-19 has seemingly fallen by the wayside and everyone has embraced this as our temporary reality for the next few weeks. It’s clear that Trudeau probably won’t be punished for calling an early election by the electorate over that alone.
What isn’t clear is why exactly we’re in an election to begin with. Nate Erskine-Smith, Liberal candidate in Beaches East-York provided this explanation on Twitter:
I get the frustrations of wanting to put forward your agenda, however you play with the cards your dealt, not what you want. And for many Canadians it would appear that a lot of the necessary work to look after the country in a pandemic was being accomplished. So, that brings us back to why are we going for an election right now? Presumably, my thoughts were that Trudeau needed a more secure mandate to propose massive social changes post COVID-19. I was thinking grandiose items like a Universal Basic Income, massive climate change infrastructure planning, and a comprehensive social safety net overhaul to fill some of the gaps that have been exposed due to the pandemic.
Instead from all parties, I’m seeing more of the same in terms of campaign promises. So far only the Conservatives and the NDP have released their platforms. The Liberals apparently still don’t have theirs prepared. Thats an indictment itself of their planning process. However, I am not seeing anything in terms of what their vision of a post-COVID-19 Canada would look like. For a campaign that the concern is the pandemic would make this unsafe, there is very little in terms of a COVID-19 strategy laid out. Rather its just more of the same I’m finding.
We are still early in the campaign. The Liberals have yet to release their platform, which might provide a point to change the narrative. However, I must say I’m a little underwhelmed with all the campaigns so far. We have just made it through one of the greatest global events in the last century. Why are our political parties campaigning like they are ignoring it?
Joel MacLeod.ca 