It's deep breath time.
I am going to reflect on the current contretemps seizing Ottawa; the SNC-Lavalin affair and the two cabinet ministers, both women, who have resigned over it. They have made public charges, expressed their loss of confidence in the prime minister and in my opinion, gravely wounded their party, their ministries and this government. Worse, their actions have carelessly put at risk the progress made for women, reconciliation with Indigenous people and Canadian families — progress they themselves greatly contributed to when in office.
I am going to call them out, even though I personally have admired them both, and I am a longtime feminist. But in a mature movement, critique of one another is permitted, needed and encouraged, if respectfully done.
I have waited three weeks to write. I have read widely, various opinion. Anyone who says Canadian media is dominated by the left has not consulted such strident recent voices as that of Rex Murphy, Andrew Coyne and Christie Blatchford, who have almost fulminated in rage, as if waiting for an issue they could latch on to and elevate to the status of a Trumpian outrage.
When one comes to understand the deferred prosecution mechanism and learns it is widely employed in other democracies (20-40 in the U.S. each year) to impose reforms on offending companies, fine them and subject them to monitoring, one quickly rejects accusations of corruption in government and ill-informed calls for the leader to resign.
One hears the testimonies of loyalty from 32 cabinet members, including the respected Chrystia Freeland, Catherine McKenna and Maryam Monsef, and one accepts the sensible assertion that the PMO was motivated by concern for Canadian jobs, and accepts that the lobbying of then justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould was meant to increase her understanding of Canada as a whole. It was somewhat vigorous, I am sure.
Former deputy prime minister Sheila Copps said recently, "For heavens' sake, on one issue when in government, I was lobbied 150 times."
I myself took a short course once on the "elevator pitch." You imagine yourself, full of your dearest cause, having 40 seconds riding in an elevator with an influential person. You need to deliver a persuasive, even urgent, message.
In Wilson-Raybould, I see a deep sense of grievance and annoyance, followed by short-term thinking marked by naivete about how politics works. As writer Rick Salutin said in the Star, this is about feminism and Indigenous identity, not about criminality. With Jane Philpott, I see a kind of sentimental sisterhood at work.
A longer view would, I believe, have shown both ministers the fact that the good they hoped to achieve when they entered politics would be undermined by their absenting themselves, with parting shots as they went.
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And just how to explain their early announcements that they both planned to run as Liberals next election, after putting caucus colleagues in danger of losing their own seats, should public opinion be formed against this government. Better they had retired, or run as independents.
What Liberal will campaign for them?
A positive take-away is that the PM kept his cool and did not resort to hasty or critical language to describe the surprising events, which some describe as "mild sabotage." Another is that Canada may soon accept a rationale for dividing the two offices, Attorney General and Justice Minister. Yet another is the evidence that Canadians care a lot about integrity in government behaviour and have followed this story carefully. Another is the pledge that Trudeau has made to improve relations between MPs and his office. Yet another is the fact that his feminism has been tested and found strong. Add to that the statement of Indigenous leaders that the tempest "is not a threat to the promise and process of reconciliation."
This is a devilishly difficult country to govern, given regional differences, but we are better off from this challenge going forward. Still, I little credit the two agents of the disturbance, and I think they were off-base.
Rosemary Ganley is a writer, teacher and activist. Reach her at rganley2016@gmail.com.
Rosemary Ganley is a writer, teacher and activist. Reach her at rganley2016@gmail.com .
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