Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at an International Union Of Operating Engineers conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba on Aug. 28.JOHN WOODS/The Canadian Press
The Poilievre problem
Re “If Poilievre weren’t so unpleasant, he might get more of a hearing for his agenda – if he has one” (Opinion, Aug. 24): Andrew Coyne has well-established conservative bona fides. I’m more blue Liberal than red Tory, but I agree with him much of the time. I appreciate that he is informed, reasoned and expresses his ideas clearly with context, complexity and nuance.
In this column he offers good advice to the Conservative Party of Canada. But he has something important to say to all Canadians and I urge them to take note.
Mr. Coyne says party Leader Pierre Poilievre has not pandered to the extremes lately, but wonders: “How much of that is principle, and how much is it just that it doesn’t pay politically? And how much confidence do I have that he would behave the same way, if the incentives were different? What does he really stand for, other than a particularly ugly mix of tribalism and expediency?”
To which I add that Mr. Poilievre, unlike Mr. Coyne, seems unwilling to discuss anything with context, complexity and nuance.
This voter answers Mr. Coyne’s question. I have seen no evidence of Mr. Poilievre’s principles. I expect to be unpleasantly educated when I do.
Kenneth C. McLeod Victoria
Trudeau’s long linger
Re “Justin Trudeau must call a Liberal leadership race before it’s too late” (Opinion, Aug. 24): Omer Aziz is spot on in his assessment of the difficulties facing the Liberals if Justin Trudeau does not make a move.
Is Mr. Trudeau so consumed with the prestige of leadership that he cannot see that he is feeding us straight into Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s hands? It is true that voters are giving Mr. Poilievre high poll ratings not because of what he is offering – just about nothing – but simply because they have tired of Mr. Trudeau.
It is also true that people do in fact tire of leaders. Mr. Trudeau should give his country a fighting chance against the negative impact a Conservative government would almost assuredly have. He should do us a tremendous favour and step down. We will definitely thank him for it.
Mary Lou Reiman Hamilton
Perhaps some of Justin Trudeau’s closest advisers could explain to him that the party is over. It is time to go. Otherwise the only thing that he will lead is the Conservatives into power.
Vic Bornell Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.
I watched the Democratic National Convention this month and was impressed with U.S. President Joe Biden’s passing of the torch. As difficult as it must have been, he took the best course of action for his country by stepping aside and creating a reasonable chance to defeat the Trump monster.
When I look at Canada and my choices for the 2025 election, I find myself in a similar scenario a lot of Americans found themselves in. Who do I vote for? I will not vote for the Justin Trudeau-led Liberals as he is too far left of centre, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is too far right of centre.
All indications are that the Liberals will be wiped out in the next election by the Conservatives. This, to a large extent, owes to Mr. Trudeau’s unwillingness to step aside. Regardless of one’s opinion of Mr. Trudeau, his love for our country has always been unquestionable. Now’s the time for him to truly demonstrate that love, do the best for Canada (and his party) and call for a leadership race.
Hans Verbeek Qualicum Beach, B.C.
Justin Trudeau must put country first or we’ll end up with a Trump-lite Conservative government. The political parallels between the United States and Canada are remarkable. I applaud Joe Biden for opening the doors to a brighter possibility.
Meanwhile our Prime Minister is living in a dream world of his own making. There isn’t a single person I speak to who thinks Mr. Trudeau should lead the Liberals in the next election. I will never vote for a negative, pit-bull Poilievre government, but I also will not vote for a Trudeau-led government, not this time. I may just cast my vote to the Green Party. The writing is on the wall. Why can’t our Prime Minister see it?
Diane Sewell Vancouver
The column on Justin Trudeau stepping down from the party leadership misses a very important point.
Mr. Trudeau’s Liberals won the past two elections with fewer votes than the Conservatives and he could be banking on a threepeat. Canada does not necessarily put into power the party most people vote for, which means it might be a gamble worth taking again. Are the election forecasts based on which party people may vote for? If so it’s meaningless forecasting the next prime minister.
Our election system is not a democratic choice; if it were Mr. Trudeau wouldn’t be prime minister now.
John Piggott Ottawa
Unhealthy decisions
Re “Why do we have to keep getting COVID?” (Opinion, Aug. 24): The Ontario government is completely incompetent in handling the health of Ontarians. Despite the spread of COVID-19, it has shut down waste-water testing, one of the few ways of knowing where and how much COVID exists. It ignored the input of scientists in this decision.
In other matters, the government also closed supervised-injection sites before having alternatives, thus endangering many lives, and leading to increased paramedic calls and a deluge of trips to emergency. It ignored the input of its own scientific advisers in this.
It has fired the most knowledgeable of public-health leaders, leaving individual Ontarians to figure out how to handle such things as vaccination against communicable diseases. It has encouraged addiction to gambling by making gambling as easy as a click, again ignoring the advice of addiction specialists. And alcohol is now available in your neighbourhood convenience stores. Heaven better help us; the Ford government is incapable of doing so.
Colette Wilson Brantford, Ont.
Doomsday scenarios
Re “Will we survive the next 100 years?” (Opinion, Aug. 24): This opinion piece is the perfect written version of a podcast. It unveils several scary and unreferenced issues, which in the heart of the essay are noted to be “unlikely,” and then repeats the now standard wish for more resources to be spent on … what exactly?
For those truly interested in large risks to humans and society, I highly recommend Global Catastrophes and Trends. It is written by Canada’s Vaclav Smil (a favourite author of Bill Gates) and is a deeply researched summary of cataclysms and social and technical drifts, and the risks they pose.
Gary Bunio Calgary
An awakening
Re “The silent retreat wasn’t what I expected” (First Person, Aug. 26): Ten days of silence boggles the mind. It’s not that I’m against meditation. I wake up every morning and for the next hour I lie in my cozy bed and meditate. Mostly it’s about getting up.
Elizabeth Thompson Oakville, Ont.
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