, 02.17.2021 03:45 PM

My latest: the Process Prime Minister

Process.

That’s what lawyers always say to judges: The solution to process, Your Honour, is even more process.

Now, Justin Trudeau is no lawyer, as everyone knows. His mauling of the Rule of Law during the SNC-Lavalin scandal — his obstruction of justice therein — made that pretty crystal-clear. But he sure has a lawyer’s enthusiasm for process, doesn’t he?

Actual results? Nope. Not his thing. Trudeau prefers to over-promise and under-deliver. Always. It’s stamped on his DNA.

Proof of this is found in Canada’s blossoming vaccination fiasco. At every turn, on every day, the Liberal leader’s response to the growing vaccination crisis has been to offer up sunny bromides about things that don’t matter. Process stuff.

So, Trudeau wheezes we don’t have a domestic vaccine manufacturing capacity (false). He shrugs, and says we should be comforted by the fact that we’ve purchased — but not actually received — lots of vaccine doses (also false). He says the big problem is the provinces being slow on coronavirus testing (false, false).

The actual problem is really simple: we don’t have vaccines, and the rest of the developed (and undeveloped) world mostly do. Canadians have noticed, too.

An Angus Reid survey released Friday said this: “Fifty-seven per cent of Canadians now say the government has done a poor job of securing COVID-19 doses for the population. This represents a near tripling from the number who said the same thing in early December (23 per cent).”

Among other things, that means we aren’t going to have a Spring election in the country. Good. But it also raises a rather important question: with his approval numbers in a free-fall, why does Justin Trudeau insist on prattling on about process, instead of actual results?

The New York Times, of all newspapers, came up with an answer last week. Self-appointed progressives, the Times wrote, always prefer process. It’s their emotional support animal.

Here’s what the Times wrote. It’s worth quoting.

“Early in the pandemic, countries with populist, right-wing governments were suffering some of the worst outbreaks. Their problems all stemmed partly from leaders who rejected scientific expertise. More progressive and technocratic countries (like Canada) were doing a better job containing the pandemic. Politicians who believed in the ability of bureaucracies to accomplish complex jobs were succeeding at precisely that.”

Then something weird happened, noted the Times.

“But over the last few weeks, as vaccination has become a top priority, the pattern has changed. Progressive leaders in much of the world are now struggling to distribute coronavirus vaccines quickly and efficiently.”

The European Union vaccination effort has “descended into chaos,” said the Times. Democratic states “are below the national average.” And Justin Trudeau’s Canada is “far behind” the United States, the Times stated.

“Far behind” is right: the National Post published an extraordinary front page this week, listing the number of countries ahead of us on vaccines, in headline-sized fonts: 37 of them. THIRTY-SEVEN.

The reason, suggested the previously-Trudeau-fans at the New York Times? Process.

“Why?” queried the Times. “A common problem seems to be a focus on process rather than on getting shots into arms. Some progressive leaders are effectively sacrificing efficiency for what they consider to be equity.”

And therein lies the best explanation of all: Justin Trudeau is just being who he is. He prefers process over results. Talking over doing. Sizzle over steak. Always.

Missing from The New York Times‘ sober assessment of our vaccination failure? A pithy summary of Canada’s situation. So here it is, gratis.

We are so, so screwed.

[Warren Kinsella is a lawyer and a former Chief of Staff to a federal Liberal Minister of Health.]

16 Comments

  1. dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack says:

    Q. Why did Justin cross the road?

    A. To give up on Canada

    • Pedant says:

      Plenty of young Canadians are doing just that thanks to the housing bubble inflated by this government and the Bank of Canada.

  2. Martin says:

    I put my hair shirt on and watched QP today. JT actually bragged about the fact that we have got 90% of the 1.2 million vaccines delivered into people’s arms. That means 120,000 vaccines are lying around and they have been lying around for days. The US are putting 1.5 million vaccines everyday. Given the size of our country, those 120,000 should be in people’s arms by QP tomorrow. We administered 27,000 yesterday so not optimistic.

    • whyshouldIsellyourwheat says:

      Those remaining 120K are probably already allocated for second doses scheduled to occur soon. And provinces are holding them to make sure they are delivered within the proper window.

      They have to do this because of the insecurity of delivery of new supply from Ottawa in the short term.

      • Martin says:

        Possibly(personally, I think that is giving them too much credit) but, even true, then they are lying about what they are sure is coming. So they are lying or not competent.

  3. Again, ThatGreatKinsellaism:

    Governments, defeat themselves.
    Can’t wait.

  4. joe long says:

    I wonder what Justin Trudeau had ‘processed’ here

    https://mobile.twitter.com/CanAditude/status/1362203316076347394

    I go flying so high when I’m stoned.

  5. Steve T says:

    The ongoing diversion from vaccines continues.

    Liberal Talking Point #1 was achieved earlier this week (guns bad!), and now Liberal Talking Point #2 is coming to the fore (reduce crime by decriminalizing more things!), with Liberal Talking Point #3 not too far behind (must help ).

    To round out the week, there needs to be some reference to saving healthcare, and/or a contextless “Harper was bad!” statement.

  6. Peter says:

    I’m trying hard not to inject my political biases into the co-vid controversies, and I am as yet unsure whether JT’s biggest sin is blowing the vaccine situation or dissembling and lying about it, but either way, that was a great piece.

  7. Doug says:

    This can’t possibly be true:
    https://nationalpost.com/opinion/chris-selley-ottawa-bringing-racial-issues-into-covid-vaccine-rollout-isnt-helping-anyone

    If it is, Trudeau can dress-up and move to the front of the line for his vaccination

  8. Yet Another Calgarian says:

    I’d like someone to ask the Prime Minister that if the extra Moderna doses he is bragging about lining up are the ones South Africa cancelled because the Moderna vaccine has little to no effect on their particular strain.

    Which has now also made its way into circulation in North America. Be right up his alley to claim victory on something that may not work.

  9. Sean says:

    It’s absolutely stunning that any Canadian could hold this guy in high esteem. From failing to attend a signing of a trade agreement in Vietnam, the grabbing of a ladies backside, being a one man minstrel show, obstructing justice ( JWR ), the WE scandal, and now the death of over 21, 000 Canadians many who many be alive today if he was of the couch and doing his job.

  10. Doug Brown says:

    The image of Trudeau appearing pensive must have taken considerable imagination and setup. My congratulations to the image consultations who conjured it.

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