The downfall of dictator Viktor Orban in Hungary also sounded the death knell for Stephen Harper’s dream of eviscerating the Liberal Party of Canada. Before he was soundly defeated in yesterday’s national election in Hungary, Orban had stated in 2023, “International cooperation between right-wing conservative governments is more important than ever. Chairman Harper is a great ally.” Chairman Harper?
Yes, since 2018 our former Prime Minister has been the Chair of the International Democracy Union, a coalition of over 80 right and far right wing governments. The Conservative Party of Canada is the only Canadian member of the IDU. Interestingly, all of the stops on Pierre Poilievre’s recent “diplomatic” trip to Europe as Canada’s “official Leader of his Majesty’s Loyal Opposition” were to IDU affiliates. Besides being IDU’s Chair, Harper also appears to be their travel agent.
Also interesting is that Viktor Orban’s dictatorship in Hungary was so far right that his Fidesz Party was removed from official membership. Poilievre and the Conservative Party of Canada were asked by the Canadian Press “if Ottawa should have stronger ties to Orban’s government.” No answer. None needed now, but this all goes to show the true stripes of of our loyal opposition, and the total irrelevance of its leader.
Despite American media appearances, and his recent leadership endorsement by the Party Faithful, Mr. Poilievre is losing his caucus, Not since 1869 has Parliament seen this many floor crossings, and that was to establish the Confederation of Canada. Today’s three federal by-elections could confirm a solid Liberal majority and be the final nail in the coffin for a faltering Conservative Party and Poilievre’s lack of leadership.
On the other hand, right wing politics are alive and well in Ontario as Boss Doug Ford makes Mike Harris’s dream of a Common Nonsense Revolution a reality. Provincial control of school boards, sidelining trustees, devolving the curriculum, enabling Strong Premiers, Strong Ministers, and Strong Mayors was the starting point. Now the government wants to completely take democracy out of municipal politics by giving the provincial government the power to appoint Strong Regional Chairs.
I live in Peel Region, an amalgam of Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon elected representatives. Want to take a bet on who the first appointed Strong Chair for Peel Region will be? As Leonard Cohen sings in Everybody Knows:
“Everybody knows that the dice are loaded,Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed.Everybody knows the war is over,Everybody knows the good guys lost.Everybody knows the fight was fixed;The poor stay poor, the rich get rich.That’s how it goes,Everybody knows.” The way I see it.