Greg Quinn's article about Trudeau and Harper and the Canadian Federal election underscores Harper's inability to think deeply.
I really hope this October's Canadian Federal election will become a question of who is best suited to think both broadly and deeply about Canada. If that happens, Harper is sure to lose.
Here's an example: Trudeau is quoted as saying “We can grow the economy, not from the top down the way Mr. Harper wants to, but from the heart outwards.”
Harper's response?
Trudeau actually has it right here. In some other context, his "from the heart" remark might be seen as a sappy and subjective appeal to emotion. But in this context, in a context marked by a Conservative government run like a dictatorship and promoting "secrecy and ignorance," Trudeau's comment becomes an appeal to recognize the scope of creating a successful society and promoting the broadest well-being among Canadians.
At the same time, the response of Harper's henchman Stephen Lecce shows up the Tory attitude as dismissive, reductionist (in the worst sense of that term), money-mongering, and narrow-minded.
Quinn also writes:
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| Source: Wikipedia |
Here's an example: Trudeau is quoted as saying “We can grow the economy, not from the top down the way Mr. Harper wants to, but from the heart outwards.”
Harper's response?
Within hours, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s team was making hay of the quip. “Justin is an inexperienced politician who isn’t capable of managing Canada’s C$1.9 trillion economy,” Conservative spokesman Stephen Lecce said in an e-mail that closed with a mocking emoji of three red hearts.
Trudeau actually has it right here. In some other context, his "from the heart" remark might be seen as a sappy and subjective appeal to emotion. But in this context, in a context marked by a Conservative government run like a dictatorship and promoting "secrecy and ignorance," Trudeau's comment becomes an appeal to recognize the scope of creating a successful society and promoting the broadest well-being among Canadians.
At the same time, the response of Harper's henchman Stephen Lecce shows up the Tory attitude as dismissive, reductionist (in the worst sense of that term), money-mongering, and narrow-minded.
Quinn also writes:
While the Conservatives are always eager to highlight Trudeau’s missteps, doing so this week also helped distract attention from a high-profile criminal trial in Ottawa.
That only applies to people with such short attention spans and superficial reasoning skills that they would fall for such tactics. Of course, this explains Harper's strategy of promoting ignorance: the dumber people are, the more likely they will be distracted by the Village Idiots involved in this "high-profile criminal trial."
Quinn then dismissively wrote about NDP leader Tom Mulcair in three short paragraphs focussing on Mulcair's "Angry Tom" image. One oughtn't dismiss the "angry" approach. Sometimes, you have to say "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!" One ignores such sentiments at one's own risk.
Still, while there may be merit in Mulcair's approach, I still believe Trudeau's more measured and inclusive thinking is a better representation of what Canadians wish Canada were like.
Quinn then turns to Harper's efforts to win votes by bending over for particular groups. For instance:
Harper touted his credentials with suburban homebuyers this week, visiting North Vancouver to say he will crack down on foreigners who are driving up home prices -- if he can find evidence that’s actually happening.
...crack down on foreigners? Jeez. Isolationist much?
And:
Colorado’s experience with liberalizing marijuana use is a bad example that Canada shouldn’t follow, Harper said Tuesday.
Cherry-pick much?
Quinn wraps up his piece with some entirely directionless remarks about the length of the current campaign. But he doesn't seize on the one key aspect that's blitheringly obvious: the incessant Tory-sponsored attack ads against Trudeau. Mulcair gets no attention - all attention is on making Trudeau out to be a pretty but vacuous child unprepared to sit at the adult table.
(If you absolutely insist on watching those pathetic ads, try this link. But be advised, they're awful!)
Set aside the bad form of using ad hominem attacks. The sheer monotonous repetition of these foolish, childish, and irrelevant ads highlight both the Tory propaganda-based brainwashing approach - say something often enough and people will start believing it - and Harper's disdain of the Canadian citizenry.
I for one will be neither cowed nor brainwashed by Harper's tyrannical and demeaning strategies.
I think Trudeau is doing the right thing here - essentially ignoring these attack ads, at least for now. I hope he's strategizing deeply, and will pull the trigger on a massive and non-attack-y campaign when we get closer to the date. Indeed, he may end up using much less of his campaign budget on ill-advised ads - which in turn could be a great point to bring up just before election day.
And when October comes and it's time to vote, please remember: ABC - Anything But Conservative.
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