There have been rumours in the media and online about the idea of a potential spring snap election, and according to the Globe and Mail, Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have openly discussed the possibility of a snap election this spring and the need for a strong majority government.
This comes after Pierre Poilievre retained his leadership of the Conservative Party a few weeks ago at the party’s national convention, along with the resignations of Christian Freeland, Bill Blair, the impending resignation of Nate Erskine-Smith, which have been setbacks to Carney’s hope of securing a majority government,
With all this in mind, I feel it’s important to say a controversial statement in our current political climate: The other side wants the best for Canada as well.
There’s a growing perception that those on the other side of the political spectrum have nefarious intentions, that they’re not working to help Canadians but instead serving other groups or institutions.
This discourse is prominent online, but it’s also spilled over into real life, where now you will likely meet someone who will claim that those opposed to them politically don’t wish for the betterment of Canada.
There are Liberals and NDP supporters who say that Poilievre and the Conservatives don’t actually care about Canada or the average Canadian and are simply working for their “corporate buddies” or that they are trying to sell out Canada to Donald Trump and the United States.
This idea is simply not true. The Conservatives believe what they believe because, in their view, their policies are the steps that need to be taken for the betterment of Canada and all Canadians.
On the flip side, there are Conservatives who openly say that Carney and the Liberals don’t care about Canada and are secretly selling us out to outside globalist organizations or working with China to undermine the country.
This too is baseless and disconnected from reality. Liberals value the things they value because they believe it will contribute to the betterment of Canada and all Canadians.
The fact is that every major political party, with the exception of the Bloc Québécois, whose mission is more regional, wants to make Canada the best place it can be. They just have different but valid ideas on how to get there.
The point of this op-ed is not to convince you to become a moderate or make you compromise in the name of bipartisanship.
We should debate policy and question ideas because some policies being proposed by parties have failed or do not work and deserve criticism.
But we must also recognize that the individuals proposing these policies genuinely believe they will help Canadians.
Call me naive or say I don’t understand the game of politics, but in reality the vast majority of politicians are not acting with malicious intent, nor are they controlled by shadowy groups.
Once we begin to accept this truth again, we can return to a healthier political climate, one rooted in civil discussion and mutual respect, with less tribalism and with fewer echo chambers.
As the possibility of a snap election just months from now looms over our heads whether or not an election happens, please remember that no matter what your views are, the one thing we can all agree on is our shared goal for the betterment of Canada.
You want the best for Canada, the other side wants the best for Canada, and we all want what’s best for Canada because at the end of the day we are all Canadians and are all forever thankful to live in this great country.
