It is difficult not to be disappointed in your government when every day brings a new scandal. This reflection is taken from Justin Trudeau’s Twitter feed when he was in opposition. It was ten years ago. The Prime Minister could repeat it today in the same way for his own government.
Like yogurt cups, politicians have a brand image and an expiration date. As in marketing or fashion, there are trends and seasons in politics. When the economy is good, we can afford a little glamour. In the opposite situation, more restraint and sobriety are expected. We abandon the big brands and look for savings. The time is not fashion statement or frivolity when people are desperate. You have to adapt, otherwise you risk becoming out of fashion.
This is what is happening to the Prime Minister. Her branding and its political message no longer fits reality. Once adored for his modernity and his look, Justin Trudeau never had the right to make mistakes, but when he did, he was easily forgiven.
He was on the cover of Vogue and of Rolling Stone. Quite a contrast to the serious Stephen Harper who could be seen sitting at his desk late at night, working by the light of a lamp. Canadians wanted change and enchantment.
The Liberal government has spent lavishly. It’s the fable of the cicada and the ant. When the economy was doing well, Justin Trudeau was proud to run “modest deficits” against all economic logic. He sang all summer. But public finances are not a bottomless pit. People understand that the government’s room for maneuver is like their budget: considerably reduced.
The Conservatives’ brand image has not always been stellar, but on the economy, Canadians trust them. On the environment, less. But, when you can’t pay your bills, knowing that the Trudeau government wants to plant two billion trees is no longer as exciting as before. Especially since we know that Ottawa has only planted 56 million trees since Justin Trudeau’s famous promise alongside environmental activist Greta Thunberg, in Montreal, in 2019.
Same observation on the war against the car. It’s all well and good to be promised more public transportation when you live in the city, but when you live in the region and there is no alternative to the car, taxing the automobile or gasoline is not a solution. And if we tax trucks, it will not lower the cost of the grocery basket. These products are transported by truck to the local grocery store. And it is with fuel that the fisherman catches your fish. The same goes for the farmer who grows your vegetables or the wheat for your bread and pasta.
John Manley, former Liberal deputy prime minister and minister under Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin, summed up the situation well to Bloomberg, in comparrying the Trudeau government in the series Seinfeld. After nine seasons, he illustrated, Jerry Seinfeld ended the show. It was funny, but we run out of ideas; it’s difficult to renew yourself. Yes, Justin Trudeau charmed Canadians. Today he shames us.
Canadians are no longer interested in his looks or in his empty words and empty promises, such as those on housing. Justin Trudeau has been overhyped; this is backfiring today. This is the danger that awaits every politician. The more we are present in the media, the more quickly the population risks getting tired of it. Especially when there are no actions or results and the situation deteriorates.
The polls, one after the other, are favorable to the conservatives. It’s a bit normal. There is weariness of power after eight years of the Trudeau government. Rising interest rates and inflation are making the economic situation difficult. Many people have difficulty finding housing. The price of gasoline is high. We have to make choices at the grocery store.
However, conservatives should take these probes with caution. You can’t get too high, too early. When you rise in the polls, it’s natural that people will be more interested in you. The media asks you more questions. What is your plan for this, your solution for that? But we are not on an electoral campaign; the Liberals govern thanks to the support of the New Democratic Party (NDP). It is premature for the Conservatives to reveal their program, except for the broad outlines. Otherwise, the Trudeau government will do what it did with the NDP: it will steal their ideas and take the credit for them.
Political reality dictates that we do not vote for the opposition, but against the government. Despite all the respect I have for Stephen Harper, I do not think that Canadians turned out to vote for him in 2006, they voted against the government in place. They were fed up with the liberals, their arrogance and the scandals. Same case for the victory of Jean Chrétien in 1993 against the Conservatives, or that of Brian Mulroney, in 1984, against the Liberals.
“Do you want four more long years of Justin Trudeau? » will certainly be one of the most hammered messages of the next electoral campaign.