Last week’s political flex from the Prime Minister was yet another example of his quiet ruthlessness (see Ministers Philpott, Wilson-Raybauld and Morneau). It was also an indicator that politics is back in a major way after having been largely pushed aside by the pandemic. The forced bonhomie between political parties is now officially a thing of the past. And while some may spend their time wondering what last week’s events say about the discordance between the PM’s nice guy image and his Machiavellian alter ego, there should be no question as to what it means for the 43rd Parliament – getting anything out of it just got a whole lot tougher.
First, everything is now political and seen through the lens of the next election. Some say that’s been the case for months. Perhaps. But it was only a few weeks ago that the House, by unanimous consent, passed new benefits programs for workers hit by the pandemic. How quickly things change. The increased bickering and more pointed jabs that marked Question Period last week is what should be expected for the rest of this testy session.
Second, the government’s can-do list has been cut even shorter. Tougher opposition days, messier committee hearings, overnight sittings – we should expect all of that and more over the next few months as trench warfare becomes the de-facto stance of the House of Commons. This tougher tone will translate into decreased eagerness of opposition parties to cooperate with the government on helping them achieve policy outcomes. That’s frustrating in the best of times. It’s even more so now in the COVID crisis when Canadians clearly have a desire for government leadership and need for government support.
The current situation increases the importance of having a nuanced, careful and deft understanding of each of the three main political parties. To achieve a policy objective, one will need a really strong understanding of what makes each of the parties tick. That means understanding the personalities of the decision-makers, the ins and outs of the policy-making process, and the timelines of marquee policy events. And the only way you obtain those insights is from having been in the room. So choose your advisors carefully.
The 43rd Parliament may have been cursed from the start, the result of an unexpected prorogation. But even so, Canadians were likely expecting their political leaders would put politics aside and come together to fight the significant challenges we face. Sadly rather than fighting the pandemic, they appear more interested in fighting each other.
