The other day, I got a news flash that Erin O’Toole’s “leadership” was in trouble. And I thought, “Thanks for the hot tip.” Then, “His what?”
As his caucus seems to have done shortly thereafter, erupting into open revolt because he’s not just unprincipled, he’s bad at it. I prefer principled leaders, which makes me persona non grata in many quarters. (Which is OK because I don’t like them, either.) But if you’re unprincipled and win, you have your shield; if you’re principled and lose, you come home on it. O’Toole, well, where’s home anyway?
It was the trucker’s convoy that finished him off. But the problem wasn’t where he stood. It was that he didn’t stand anywhere. I don’t think much of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lecturing other people on divisiveness while spewing vitriol. And a lot of people don’t think much of Pierre Poilievre for embracing the protest. But at least both took a vigorous, consistent, even predictable position. People like politicians who stand for something, if only because they can vote against them secure in the belief that they wouldn’t want them in power.
The usual “if only we conservatives were liberals people might like us” suspects are now giving the Tories such advice as stay away from “an aging and destructive American culture wars framework” like “Canada’s five most successful conservative PMs.” Which admittedly would explain why O’Toole was successful … if he was. He certainly didn’t do culture wars. Except from the left, opportunistically and unpleasantly.
There’s a famous piece of advice to be “suaviter in modo, fortiter in re.” And when something’s been around so long it’s in Latin … but hang on, that one didn’t originate with the ancient Romans, unlike “Si vis pacem, para bellum,” even if the guy who said it was named Claudio Acquaviva and did live in Rome at the time. Acquaviva was actually the fifth superior general of the Jesuits from 1581 till his death in 1615. Which I mention because in these overheated times, I ask everyone to check things, especially before tweeting them. Even if it spoils the fun. But I digress.
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See Also:
(1) The leading candidates to replace Erin O’Toole, should he lose his job
(2) Justin Trudeau is a Bungler and Menace to His Nation
(3) Federal government’s controversial broadcasting bill returns – with new questions
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