Justin Trudeau could have extended his hand instead of slamming his fist. All of us have lost because of it
General Colin Powell, who tragically passed away in October of last year, once said “Great leaders are always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand.” It’s a quote Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could have certainly learned from. Instead of offering a solution to the grievances of Canadian truckers, he has instead chosen a path of ridicule, shame, accusation and worst of all, punishment. Sure, it’s understandable that he would be concerned about supply lines, and the convoy has definitely had an impact in the United States. Debating vaccine mandates isn’t the point here. The necessity of vaccines is an issue that all sectors of global society will eventually have to deal with, and though I believe mandating is a very poor way of emphasizing why they’re beneficial, it’s still somewhat understandable that politicians believe this is the best way to move beyond the pandemic.
But great leaders don’t shout to their constituents my way, or in the case of truckers, the “highway.” Great leaders communicate, negotiate, and attempt to find consensus with those who disagree with them. Much like we push diplomacy when dealing with Russia or China, it’s important to remain diplomatic on domestic concerns as well. Trudeau could have at least requested a meeting with the convoys leaders, and attempted to sympathize with their concerns. It’s incredible how often an in person conversation can result in such positive outcomes, as it gives both parties an idea of the others intentions. Social media provides no such platform. Instead, it typically creates more hostility, since it removes body language, eye contact , tone of voice and sincerity from the conversation. Somehow, someway, Trudeau and liberal pundits have turned a genuine concern into an issue of white nationalism and far right extremism. Never mind the minorities you see at these protests, or who are interviewed about why they believe in the convoy. It’s a constant narrative that the left continues to play on, since it has the most alarming appeal. But this is the hyperbolic and uncompassionate language coming from those who claim to be just the opposite. Though 90% of truckers are vaccinated, Trudeau, like many on the left, still can’t comprehend why imposing a mandate removes an individuals right to health. Instead, they create further division by accusing those who do understand this as racist behavior.
Progressives have long considered themselves the party of the working class. Ironically, many of these same progressives have never worked in the private sector, especially in a manual labor position. In a dramatic reversal, the left’s greatest supporters are now made up of wealthy tech giants, Hollywood celebrities, and academic elitists. These are individuals who preach an understanding of real world concerns, though they don’t live in the real world themselves. Though President Trump criticized the rioting in summer 2020, there was never a mention of seizing personal bank accounts. It is occurring in Canada.
It’s easy to claim your open minded, but when you are not open minded to the concerns of those who disagree with you, it is a failure of leadership.
Until next time
JPN