The sky is darkening for Justin Trudeau’s Liberals after the resounding exit of Quebec City MP Joël Lightbound, who on Tuesday morning accused his own government of dividing the population with his denigrating “tone” towards the unvaccinated minority .
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Mr. Lightbound created a shock wave claiming that he is “not the only one” in the Liberal benches to feel “discomfort”, even “unease” in the face of the “style of politics” and the “rhetoric” of the government of Justin Trudeau when it comes to vaccination.
“It is high time that we stop dividing the population, that we stop pitting one part of the population against another. […] From a positive and unifying approach, a decision was made to adopt an approach that divides and stigmatizes,” he said.
With trucks refusing to move in front of Parliament and two road blockades at the Canada-US border, the 34-year-old MP’s exit is proving to be a “crisis within a crisis” that could do significant damage, according to Eric Montigny, political scientist at Laval University.
“The prime minister is entering an area of great turbulence with no easy escape route in sight,” he said. “The question is whether this is an isolated act or if it is part of something larger among the liberals.”
“We feel that in the liberal family there is discontent behind the curtains,” added Mr. Montigny. The latter believes is a warning for Mr. Trudeau, who must take the pulse of the members of his caucus furthest from power.
However, after having “politicized” the issue of vaccination during the elections and since, as Mr. Lightbound reproaches him, it will be difficult for Justin Trudeau to suddenly change his approach. “He’s painted himself into a corner since the election. That was the backstory he used in the last few months.”
Mr. Lightbound stepped down as Quebec caucus chair, but will remain a member of the Liberal caucus despite the offense to the party line. He said he was “confident” that the government can accommodate some dissent within its ranks.
The MP pleaded for the government to stop lumping all protesters together, stressing that it “contributes to stigma”. “For me, when we reduce the beings around us to a single identity, it’s always the first step towards dehumanization.”
“I have heard people who worry that some seem easily, even jovially, to forget that we are not all equal in the face of confinement. That not everyone can make a living on a MacBook at the cottage.”
Joël Lightbound did not only attack the form of the government’s pandemic management, but also the substance, in particular by pleading to begin negotiations “without delay” on health transfers to the provinces and to present a deconfinement plan. detailed.
He attacked the vaccination obligation for truckers crossing the American border, a measure which was the real spark plug of the convoy which has occupied the city of Ottawa for nearly two weeks. He claimed the measure was driving up transport costs for food by 15-20%, while he is “unable” to get the data that “underlies this policy”.