How liberal is Justin Trudeau?
Since Justin Trudeau’s election as prime minister in October 2015, Canadians have been feeling pretty good about themselves. After nearly a decade of Conservative leadership, during which time we were scared the world would realize we’d changed, we’ve returned to having a leader that better reflects the image we like to have about ourselves.
The global press loves Trudeau. They highlight his attractiveness, his diverse and gender equal cabinet, and his push to legalize marijuana. But is he really the young progressive he’s made out to be?
There’s no denying he’s a major improvement on Stephen Harper, whose legacy the Liberals are slowly repealing, but that doesn’t mean Trudeau is without his issues. His government recently passed an assisted dying bill that was highly contested, and many believed it placed far too many restrictions on those seeking a compassionate death. He promised to reform C-51, a surveillance bill passed by the Conservatives last year, but the government is silent on when the changes will take place. He’s also been keeping quiet on the TPP, but it’s believed his government supports the trade agreement and simply won’t tell the public.
Despite his electoral commitments around democratic reform, the actions of his government haven’t communicated a very cooperative tone. His house leader tried to pass a motion to give the government unprecedented control over the workings of parliament, which they were forced to withdraw. They also gave themselves a majority on the electoral reform committee, but accepted an NDP proposal to distribute the committee seats more proportionally after it became clear the public felt it was an undemocratic move.
Even on the issue of marijuana, the government’s actions don’t seem to be living up to their promise. Last week they announced a new task force to help inform the legislation that will be introduced in spring 2017 to legalize marijuana, but their working paper suggests there will be significant restrictions on how it can be grown and sold, and even casts doubt on whether individuals will be able to grow their own. They’ve also refused to decriminalize marijuana in the interim, meaning that even though it will be legalized next year, people are still getting criminal records for simple possession.
As far as I’m concerned, Trudeau is doing a great job to revive Canada’s image internationally. I commend him for standing up for refugees and taking a compassionate approach that has seen tens of thousands arrive in Canada since he took office. However, he is failing us on a number of fronts, and isn’t being as open and transparent as he claimed he would me.
The most important issue of the next couple years for me is electoral reform, which is why I’m particularly troubled by what I’m seeing from the kinds of laws the government is passing.
Trudeau’s approach doesn’t seem very progressive. He’s tried to control parliament and dominate the electoral reform committee, and his more landmark liberal legislation appears full of onerous restrictions.
Trudeau has expressed his support for the preferential voting system, which has been demonstrated to significantly benefit the Liberals over other parties. I’m much more supportive of a proportional system like mixed-member proportional (MMP) because it would allow for smaller voices to be represented and it would force parties to work together. Unfortunately, I don’t trust Trudeau or his government to deliver it, even if it is demonstrated to be the best option, as the Law Commission recommended in a 2004 report.
When asked by the Green Party leader, Elizabeth May, whether the government would champion the electoral system recommended by the parliamentary committee, the Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef wouldn’t give a straight answer. This could just suggest the government wants to first see what the committee recommends, but it could also mean they’ve already decided on an electoral system and they’re using the committee to make it appear they’re listening to Canadians, as seems to be the case with the public consultations on the TPP.
Which electoral system Canada adopts to replace first-past-the-post will significantly alter the functioning of our democracy and politics. Trudeau has proven himself to be great at managing his image, but not necessarily pursing legislation that’s in the best interest of Canadians. In order to ensure he doesn’t just make future elections easier for Liberals to win, he must be pushed to adopt a proportional system like MMP to renew Canadian democracy and end the ability for parties to win false majority governments.
Public anger has swayed them before, notably to withdraw the motion to control parliament and to proportionally distribute seats on the electoral reform committee. If Trudeau refuses to adopt a proportional election system, Canadians need to demonstrate and make their voices heard so he reverses his decision. The choice of a new electoral system can’t just be allowed to take the electoral prospects of a single party into account.
Paris Marx writes about the growing divide within the capitalist system, the movements for alternative forms of economic organization, and ways of living that challenge traditional narratives. He occasionally makes videos on YouTube, and is very active in sharing news and opinions on Twitter.
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