We must (unfortunately) talk about Maxime Bernier

Let’s face it, it’s quite a dilemma. When Maxime Bernier brandishes his conspiracy theories – he has several – should we talk about it and risk giving him more attention? Or should we ignore it so as not to give it more visibility?

Sorry. Unfortunately, we have to talk about it. For what? Because it happens that his remarks nourish fear and resentment towards specific categories of the population. This time it’s the environmentalists.

It needs to be talked about because social media offers it a powerful multiplier effect. Ignoring it is therefore not an option. Who says democracy says freedom of expression, but also freedom of reply, analysis and reflection.

While forests are burning across the country, on Twitter, the leader of the People’s Party of Canada has harshly attacked those they call “green terrorists”.

“I bet a good portion of the wildfires were started by green terrorists to boost their climate change campaign,” he wrote. The far left is adept at inventing and creating crises that it can then exploit.”

He thus accuses environmentalists – however, we do not know which ones – of being “terrorists”. However, this word is heavy with meaning. He suggests that environmentalists would sow terror by creating a fake climate crisis allowing them to better sell their cause.

Calling anyone a “terrorist” goes far beyond mere opinion, however. It is an attempt to foment fear and resentment against all those who find themselves with this violent label falsely stuck on their foreheads.

Invent conspiracies

In another tweet, Maxime Bernier also attacks “liar media and politicians [qui] keep repeating that global warming” is the cause of the forest fires. Forgetting, as he always does, that he is also a “politician”…

This method of inventing conspiracies, fostering fear against peaceful citizens and contempt for elected officials, scientists and the media is of course typically Trumpian.

It is a direct and worrying import of the American hard right into Canadian and Quebec political dynamics. An import increased tenfold by social media and their echo chambers. Which, already, amply commands that we pay attention to it.

Analyze the phenomenon

We must try to analyze this phenomenon because it exists and is gaining ground everywhere in the West, although to varying degrees depending on the country.

We have to talk about it because outrageous statements such as those of Maxime Bernier, among others, are first and foremost tailored to strengthen and broaden a political base loyal to the hard right.

Also, because like Donald Trump, his words feed disinformation, the rejection of democratic institutions and science. As was also the case throughout the pandemic with anti-vaccine, anti-mask conspiracy theories, etc.

Let’s not forget that the so-called Freedom Convoy was wading through precisely the same waters.

So, yes, unfortunately, we must be interested in the words of Maxime Bernier and other imitation-Trumps. To denounce for the sake of denunciation is, however, useless.

It is much more useful to patiently disassemble the mechanism and expose it to the light of day. More and more analysts and university researchers are doing it.

As my favorite political science teacher told me, “Light is a much better remedy for manipulation than the darkness of an unwittingly complicit silence.”


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