GIESBRECHT: Sadly, the Liberal politics of division works

The 2021 campaign took place during the Covid-19 pandemic, with many of the lockdown measures the TLP had insisted on still firmly in place. The TLP and the Conservatives were close. The TLP cynically decided that they needed a “wedge” issue. They found it in the “vaccine mandate”. They knew this narrative would damage the Canadian fabric, but used it anyway to convince a majority of Canadians that those opposing forced vaccination were a threat to them.

Their fear messaging had convinced even young and healthy Canadians that Covid-19 was a lethal threat to them, even though this was quite unsupported by the data. That same messaging told Canadians that vaccination would prevent them from being infected — also clearly untrue. But, most cynically, people were told the lie that the unvaccinated were a threat to the vaccinated. There was and is no scientific basis for that reckless claim. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated get and spread the virus. These cynical messages were amplified by the Prime Minister himself by name calling — “racists and misogynists with unacceptable views”. The strategy worked. And the TLP continued to use it after they achieved their victory. In doing so, they deliberately divided Canadians in a way not seen since the time of the conscription debates.

Societal division in Canada today is at an unprecedented level. Friendships have been ruined and families torn apart by the totally unnecessary mandating of vaccination. But to the TLP this is just collateral damage. Winning was everything.

What I write here is not speculation. A TLP member admitted exactly how this unprincipled divide and conquer strategy was achieved. Quebec MP Joel Lightbound described how his TLP used this cynical strategy “to wedge, to divide and to stigmatize”? Lightbound went on to say that there were quite a few of his fellow MPs who were were deeply concerned about these divisive tactics, and he called for an honest discussion.

Instead, Lightbound was immediately relieved of his responsibilities as chair of the Quebec caucus, and silenced. His fellow MPs, got the message, and clammed up. The TLP made sure that there was no further public discussion.

Until now, that is. Former Finance Minister, Bill Morneau said essentially the same thing Lightbound said in a recent interview. Morneau stated that Trudeau’s use of vaccine mandates “further polarized the debate….in a way that was not helpful”. These are damning words from a former colleague.

The fact is that the TLP is quite happy with the tactics it used during the last election. Trudeau later called those who disagreed with vaccine mandates “racists and misogynists”. Very darkly, he asked “Do we tolerate these people?” He actually seems proud of his government’s shocking use of the Emergencies [War Measures]  Act, attachment of bank accounts, and the jailing of dissidents during last winter’s convoy protests. And he has spurned all attempts by journalists to offer him a chance to soften his divisive rhetoric, or apologize for what no Prime Minister should ever say. 

Instead, Trudeau is threatening to do the same thing again: Ramp up the fear; appeal to those who take delight in calling dissenters names, like “anti-vaxxers”, “covidiots”; and force those who disagree to comply.

Meanwhile, China is currently experiencing unprecedented infections, as their CCP finally abandons its disastrous Covid Zero policy. There is no way of knowing how many new mutations will soon be heading our way. There will be many.

Even without the mutations from China, there are many new mutations that are already here. Instead of giving Canadians realistic advice — namely that we must live with the new mutations that are to be expected of a virus that has become endemic — the TLP will play to people’s fears and adopt the policies demanded by the most fearful. We know how this will play out. Scared people will demand the reimposition of the damaging government restrictions, business shutdowns, school closings, mask and vaccine mandates — exactly the same laundry list of civil liberty-killing measures that caused so much harm the last time. Anyone daring to criticize will be crushed.

I am not writing this as a partisan. I am not one. I had respect for the Harper government, but I also had respect for the Chrétien government. Both leaders were men of principle. It is inconceivable that either of them would have adopted the deliberately divisive and unprincipled tactics that the TLP has chosen to employ.

There will be elections in Canada’s future. The Liberals will win some, the Conservatives others. But if we want to prevent another cynical election, like the election of 2021 — we must elect better people.

Brian Giesbrecht is a retired Manitoba Provincial Court Judge.