Oh, To See Ourselves as Others See Us

Full disclosure: the only reason the SNC-Lavalin scandal matters to me is that it might clear a path for Andrew Scheer's Tories to win the October general elections. That's it. I am not a Liberal, that's behind me. The last 20 years were enough that I'll not return to that fold. I just don't want Chuckles as the next prime minister of Canada.

Viewing this scandal from that distanced perspective, the most interesting part has been to watch Liberals picking at their skin, eating their hair and, at times, showing their true colours. Turns out they're not all as enlightened as they would have us believe in more tranquil moments. And they are pretty quick to turn on each other, sturm und drang.

I was a bit shocked as I read the comments on a particular Justin Trudeau fan page. The attacks on Wilson-Raybould and Philpotts were nasty and sometimes pretty misogynistic. What do you expect when you put that many women in cabinet? Women, they're so easily manipulated. What about that business with the apple in the Garden of Eden? None of these good and loyal Trudeau fans rebuked those leaving these bigoted comments.  No, Jody and Jane were only getting what they had coming. Imagine, mere women speaking out against Justin.

So this, to me, confirms that the Liberal ranks include more than a few bigots. As I let those comments sink in they reminded me of the vitriol I usually associate with the rightwing commentariat, confirming that the latter day Liberals are as tribal as any of these outfits.

The biggest story, however, is the insurgency afoot within the Liberal ranks. There is one person who stands out, a person who seems bent on taking down Justin Trudeau regardless of the lasting damage it may cause the Liberal Party. This individual seems determined to sow as much dissent among the Liberal rank and file as he can. This person is clearly going after the already disaffected Liberal voters.

What is the game? That's an important question with general elections eight months away. Has this individual just been waiting for an opportunity like the Lavalin controversy to pounce? A lot of effort is going into this and it's relentless.

Has this person decided to cut ties with the Liberals, to turn on them? Is this the parting gift? Is this an emotional matter, pent-up anger over being unloved by the Trudeau team, shunted aside?

This is not Watergate nor is the Insurgent either a Woodward or a Bernstein, just a sniper. I've never liked that kind. I didn't like the way they took down John Diefenbaker or Joe Clark. I didn't like the way they took down the best NDP premier BC has known, Mike Harcourt.

I can't imagine how the Insurgent will ever again find a place at the Liberal head table, that is unless the Liberal hierarchy are much more craven than I had imagined.

Not that advice from a defector is particularly wanted but I think the Liberals really need to figure out who they are and just what, if anything, they still represent.  Just as today's Republicans would make Lincoln puke, I think these Latter Day Liberals would be shunned by the likes of Laurier, St. Laurent, Pearson and Pierre Trudeau.