Diversity Dies In Darkness: Is PJMT Now A Lame Duck?

Diversity is a goal without a system. That's why it is stupid.-- Scott Adams

Saskatchewan has announced a program to attract skilled workers to the province. The 542 lucky candidates will be chosen from applicants in Czechia, Germany, India, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine. The Toronto Star has sniffed that the program is “raising eyebrows for deviating from Canada’s selection system”.

The Saskatchewan government is asking, why does no one in central Canada raise an eyebrow when the province of Quebec enacts restrictive laws to protect its long-established cultural imperatives? Indeed, while the prime minister makes a fetish of diversity and unlimited immigration, he’s been less than vocal about getting Quebec to comply with his diversity diktats. 

Language strictures against English grow more harsh every day (not that Quebec Anglos will ever change their Liberal votes). Intolerance of cultural symbols has been enshrined in law. Quebec follows its own nose on Covid and the vaccines. Quebec does what Quebec wants, citing its constitutional prerogatives. 

Provinces like Saskatchewan and Alberta, meanwhile, are chastised as wanting to promote a “right-wing culture” that reflects their history and people. The Media Party hints that modern Hungary is what’s behind provinces balking at Justin Trudeau’s postmodern Canada. (Hint-hint: who did Hungary support in WW II?)

Of course, this blowback from provinces against Ottawa is nothing new in Canadian history. Usually it goes nowhere I(except in Quebec). But as the Saskatchewan immigration policy and Alberta’s impertinent claim to energy self-destiny show, those provinces and others are seeing an opening in Trudeau’s plummeting poll numbers. Self interest is all the rage against a tainted Liberal brand.

Like the U.S. politicians in Northern cities who ignored the immigrant crisis— until it washed up the streets of NYC, Chicago or Boston— the Liberals are now swimming in a boiling pot of diversity stew. Housing, education and healthcare are being overwhelmed by a dubious importation recipe aimed at 40 million people in Canada this decade. The riot by hundreds of armed Eritreans in Calgary last weekend (below) reflects a government unable to marshal its new citizens. Nor enforce laws against them. Enforcing graphic sex education on Muslim children of immigrants has provoked further strong pushback.

Hence, the opening. As poll numbers published on the weekend revealed, after eight years of Trudeau’s smug chef dealing the meals, the Liberal diner is suddenly half empty. Ditto his sous Jagmeet Singh, whose NDP is also headed to the compost heap. Polling on the Labour Day weekend shows Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives could win over 200 seats if an election were held this week.

None of this turnaround in the polls is due to a surge in Poilievre Fever, a sudden rush of enthusiasm since he doffed his glasses for a new look.  He’s as low voltage as ever.

This time seems different, however. Trudeau is like comedian Mike Myers, who, in just over a decade, went from being the world’s favourite funny man in Austin Powers (1997–2002), and Shrek (2001) to a lame self parody as The Love Guru (2008). For all his attempts to shut down his critics PMJT has become the political equivalent of The Love Guru. Played out. Lame.

Trudeau has tried to stifle criticism of this flagging agenda by buying up (or intimidating) media who practice WrongThink. After Bills 11 &18— forcing Meta and other tech giants to pony up for Canada’s cratering  legacy media— rebounded on him, PMJT is now rolling out the Online Harms Act to punish those who cite contrary evidence and suggest that The Science is not inviolate.

Why not?, he seems to say. Other desperate Western governments being pounded by social media are doing the same. And Canadians have been big fans of Hate Laws (without ever precisely defining hate) since Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel was charged for his inflammatory Holocaust opinions. The church ladies of liberalism now positively revel in attaching hate labels to anything that gets under their skirt.

Liberal strategists content themselves with saying that an election is not mandated for another two years. These things can change. A gaffe from Poilievre blown up into a raging inferno can turn the numbers back their way. Or else wheeling out the usual repertoire of abortion, racism, guns and Trump can rescue the wine moms enough to bring back the good old days. 

But Trudeau’s own father, Pierre, employed the same delusions when his fortunes turned in 1983-84. With Brian Mulroney succeeding hapless Joe Clark, Trudeau père thought he could use old standbys such as Québec separation, western rednecks and his status as globe-trotting honest broker to hold back the inevitable. As his five-year term expired, Trudeau reluctantly handed the steaming mess off to John Turner, the permanent PM in waiting. Turner was then thrashed by Mulroney, reduced to just 40 seats nationwide. 

Is Trudeau headed to a similar fate? Or will he, like his Papa, take a walk in the snow and return as the former PM? Certainly there are a number of Liberal back benchers, passed over for Cabinet, watching this slow-motion implosion of the party. How long do they stick with Happy Ways if he causes them to become road kill in 2024-25?

Finally, how does Trudeau push back against regional interests such as Saskatchewan’s immigration plan or Alberta’s rejection of emission caps? Does Singh stand behind him as he tries to intimidate the rebels even as his own numbers head south? Do they make threats that provoke a reaction to the federal equalization scheme? 

Sure, the bought media will try on his behalf. But the Skippy brand that worked on them as recently as the Covid Quickie 2021 election is now in the remainder bin. This is 1984 redux for a Trudeau who overstayed his welcome.

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Bruce Dowbiggin @dowbboy is the editor of Not The Public Broadcaster  A two-time winner of the Gemini Award as Canada's top television sports broadcaster, he’s a regular contributor to Sirius XM Canada Talks Ch. 167. Inexact Science: The Six Most Compelling Draft Years In NHL History, his new book with his son Evan, was voted the seventh-best professional hockey book of all time by bookauthority.org . His 2004 book Money Players was voted sixth best on the same list, and is available via http://brucedowbigginbooks.ca/book-personalaccount.aspx