Today marks the official beginning of the campaign to elect the next Prime Minister, on October 21st, five short weeks, praise God, rather than the endless politicking south of the border. As Canada is still a constitutional monarchy, the current holder of the office of Prime Minister must approach the Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II, through her representative in Canada, the Governor-General, currently Ms. Julie Payette, and request that the current Parliament be dissolved, with every seat open to election. This is the ‘dropping of the writ’, with the ‘drop’ likely derived from ‘to draw up’.
The Head of State is free to refuse the request but, as far as I know, has never done so.
Hence, we face a choice, in the practical world, between Justin Trudeau and Andrew Scheer. The hapless Mr. Scheer, who needs to clearly state his principles, does not, from what I have seen and heard, deserve to be Prime Minister. Why obfuscate on such issues as abortion and same-sex marriage? I know nothing of him in private, but his public persona, at least – what he projects to we hoi polloi – needs to man up. What we don’t need are more of the same milquetoast political lifers maintaining the status quo.
But Justin Trudeau, le dauphin, deserves the leadership far, far less. We must ensure that he does not get re-elected, for the harm he has done to this country – to paraphrase Christ’s words on the blind prophets, finishing off the work of his father – will only get worse. Then again, what could be worse than instantiating yet more mass murder, in the guise of ‘medical assistance in dying’? And going full gung-ho on abortion, discriminating against anyone who raises any faint objection to ‘reproductive rights’?
And all with nary a peep from the Catholic Church and her hierarchy, to say nothing of all those Mr. Trudeau has in his pocket, filled with endless cash, they hoping to pick up some scraps from their master’s table. Not Trudeau’s own, of course, but like the brand of cigarettes would-be quitters most enjoy, ‘O.P.’s, that is, other people’s.
At least Mr. Scheer may, we hope, do less harm. Even if we are well on the road to ruin in this once-glorious nation, perhaps he will press the gas pedal less lightly, giving us time to re-group, re-think, and hopefully elect a real conservative who might, even just a bit, pull Canada back to some sense of sanity.
We can hope. And pray. And vote.