October 19: one year later (updated twice)

One year ago today, the Liberal Party won a big, big election victory.

One year later, what do we know?

We know that Justin Trudeau and his party are still popular – very popular. Polls say so. Against his opposition – both leaderless, both (seemingly) directionless – he seems unbeatable.

We know that, when compared to the ugly election taking place to the South, Trudeau’s “sunny ways” still works. When we are obliged to consider the relative merits of the likes of Donald Trump, Trudeau can’t help but look good.

We know that he has done many of the things he said he would do. He said he’d stop bombing ISIS, he said he’d admit thousands of Syrian refugees, he said he’d run deficits. Despite predictions of calamity – despite the numbers, as seen here and here and here – he did all those things, and his popularity soared.

We know that some of the things he said he’d do – like fixing C-51, or restoring home mail delivery, or keeping deficits modest and a middle class tax cut revenue-neutral – he just hasn’t. He has plenty of time left, of course, but some big promises haven’t been kept, and a few have been broken.

We know that he is not perfect, of course. He makes mistakes – sometimes big ones. He seems to have a tin ear about those unkillable Liberal twins, arrogance and entitlement.

We know that he brilliantly campaigned from the Left, as Liberals have been known to do – and he has mainly governed from the Right. As Liberals do. It has enraged his opponents, on Left and Right, but it sure hasn’t hurt him.

That’s what we know.  There’ll be lots of coverage today, as Justin Trudeau makes the rounds of the media, celebrating the first year.

But here’s what I know, this morning, one year later: I don’t give a damn about any of that stuff. I don’t care.

Here’s what I care about: a year ago, Justin Trudeau said that his biggest priority was improving the lives of First Nations in Canada. He said that, over and over. In his Throne Speech, that solemn vow was the centrepiece. He promised First Nations “recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership.”

And, a year later, almost to the day of his big win, a ten-year-old indigenous child committed suicide in Northern Saskatchewan.

The media – preoccupied as we are with Donald Trump and marking anniversaries of elections – barely noticed. Try and find the story about that dead child in Google. It will take you a while. It did me.

Two things.

One, there is nothing Justin Trudeau is doing today – nothing – that should matter as much as a ten-year-old in Deschambault Lake committing suicide, because (to her) life isn’t worth living.  It should get his full attention.

Two, when a ten-year-old girl ends her life – because we haven’t fulfilled our collective promise to that girl – when that happens, there is no anniversary worth celebrating.  None.

Because, when something horrible like that still is happening in Canada, when the duty Justin Trudeau (and all of us) owe that child is unmet – well, it sure isn’t “2016,” is it?  It sure isn’t “sunny ways,” is it?  It’s the bloody dark ages.

And everyone who is decent knows that, too, one year later.

UPDATE: One of my favourite politicians agrees.

UPDATED: A powerful politician also seemingly agrees. Good.  Now do something about it.

 


Sometimes, you can’t win

The Opposition and the media (and me) hammer Trudeau’s government for the electoral reform stuff, and we demand he rethink it.

So Trudeau rethinks it, and the Opposition and the media (but not me) hammer him for breaking a promise.

Sometimes, in this business, you just can’t win.  But I give the guy credit for doing the right thing.