Fear is Fickle: When Rhetoric Fades, Reality Remains
By Neil Gonsalves | For the sake of all Canadians lets hope our government puts country before party so that we can work across difference and be willing to hear not fear each other.
Written by Neil Gonsalves for Seeking Veritas | Sankarsingh-Gonsalves Productions
The elections may be over but where campaigning ends actual governing begins. There has been a lot of talk about unity since Trump injected himself into our politics but can we get back to debating the facts rather than arguing about the noise?
When the new year began we were collectively focused on issues that had real implications to our everyday lives; inflation and the cost of living, a housing crisis and housing affordability, social polarization, health care, education, under-employment, and mismanaged immigration. Then came the noise, courtesy of bombastic rhetoric out of the White House, the noise led to fear, and fear led to a revival of expressed patriotism, albeit patriotism that was dependent on a common enemy rather than on common cause. But fear is fickle, often temporary, and routinely unsustainable.
The prevailing non-partisan consensus was that the governing Liberal Party was on life support, numerous polls suggested their ten year record had increasingly alienated a large majority of the population, and was difficult to defend. People seemed ready to try a different governing strategy. Then came the noise, and we collectively rallied around the idea that a particular type of leader was needed to meet the moment. But moments come and go, major social and economic issues however have a tendency to stick around and have a lingering influence on our lives.
Prime Minister Carney has been given the responsibility of forming a minority government and must now turn his singular campaign focus into governing a country with multiple urgent issues along with a range of ideas about how we address them. In his acceptance speech he signalled a willingness to consider every Canadian saying, “no matter where you live, no matter what language you speak, no matter how you voted, I will always do my best to represent everyone who calls Canada home”. A promise that he will have to live up to very quickly if he is to maintain the confidence of the electorate. The Liberals won the popular vote by less than 3.5% over the Conservatives who secured their highest vote share since 1988; a clear message to the new government that they will need to work hard to include the perspectives of the majority who cast their ballot for a different approach.
Whether we find ourselves back at the ballot box within 18 to 36 months will depend on how this minority government tackles inter-provincial trade barriers, housing, shoring up our national defence, realizing our potential to be a energy super power, and diversifying our trading portfolio. Critically they will have to address all that while balancing spending and managing inflationary pressures. No small task given a rising call for a referendum on sovereignty in Alberta and the increased leverage of the Bloc following the collapse of the NDP.
For unity and patriotism to be sustainable, compromise will be necessary. It will require concessions on Liberal sacred cow agenda planks and an inclusion of Conservative and Bloc priorities. A failure to show some measure of deference will inevitably lead to a retrenchment of protectionism and alienate the millions of people who did not vote for the Liberals.
At his first press conference PM Carney laid out his agenda and to his credit it was obvious that his government has given some consideration to the diverse set of priorities voiced by millions who voted for change. He promised to tackle internal trade barriers and implement a middle class tax cut by Canada Day. The agenda included a promise to cut the GST on new homes valued under $1 million for first-time buyers, and ramp up home building to deal with the high cost of housing; to hire a thousand more Canada Border Services Agency officers and another thousand RCMP officers to shore up law enforcement, while simultaneously enacting bail reform targeted specifically at anyone charged with stealing cars, home invasion, human trafficking or smuggling. On the defence front, the agenda commits to meeting Canada’s NATO defence spending benchmark of two per cent of annual GDP which includes ramping up spending on the Canadian Armed Forces. The Prime Minister also said his government will return immigration to sustainable levels by capping temporary workers and international students.
Said differently, he promised to axe the tax, build the homes, support law enforcement, stop the crime, and manage immigration. Sound familiar? It should, those were the primary priorities of millions of Canadians who did not vote Liberal. When asked whether he would obstruct Pierre Poilievre’s bid to return to Parliament by slow rolling a call for a by-election, he indicated he would not, adding “I will ensure that it happens as soon as possible … no games, nothing, straight”. He went on to signal that he has no plans to form a governing pact with the NDP to keep his minority government alive. He said it’s time for leaders to rally together to support Canadians across the country in a time of crisis.
It was the right tone and the right message for a population with very divergent views on how we should govern our country. Some will see this as strategic maneuvering to placate Conservative voters, others will say it was merely a required correction towards established centrist positions given the last Prime Minister shifted leftward at an unsustainable pace. Say what you will, it is a pragmatic agenda with something for everyone but it is a fragile one that will require a better politics from all of us.
To root for its failure is to bet against our own government, I would argue that would be both undemocratic and unpatriotic. The election is over and the results are what they are, so we do need to rally under one flag at this moment. Make no mistake, the opposition should absolutely hold our new Prime Minister to account, they should continue to be vigilant for overreach even in times of crisis.
For the sake of all Canadians who met the moment by turning out to vote, lets hope our government puts country before party so that we can work across difference and be willing to hear not fear each other. Let’s get back to debating the facts not arguing about the noise so that we can address the real issues that had majority consensus and concern just a few months ago.
Fear is fickle especially because its ire and focus can shift quickly, when rhetoric fades reality remains. Uniting around a common enemy is a powerful way to mobilize people in the short term but sustainable governance requires consistency and a common cause.
About the Author: Neil Gonsalves is the author of the book, ‘I’m Not Your Token: Unapologetic Clarity in Divided Times’’, a TEDx speaker, and post-secondary educator. He is a 2025 Durham Community Champion Medallion Award recipient, recognized by the Member of Parliament for Durham from the Canadian House of Commons for unwavering commitment and dedication to improving the community.
