COLUMN: On Parliament Hill – Reclaiming the country we love

This past weekend was when the Liberals held their national convention in Montreal, bringing delegates and parliamentary members from across the country. Reporters noted a different vibe from the sense of defeat experienced before Justin Trudeau resigned. When participants were asked by reporters why they were liberals, respondents were typically ideological, but could not provide specific legislation they attribute to the last year of Mr. Carney’s leadership.

But to many non-Liberal observers, the convention presented some moments that raised concern.

During one exchange at the microphone, Diana Carney, the wife of Prime Minister Mark Carney, referenced her husband’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, indicating it was considered required reading for some university students and describing it as helping to define and shape a “new world order.” Her remarks were met with loud applause from convention attendees, a reaction that underscored the ideology inside the room while simultaneously fueling criticism among skeptics outside the party.

Another round of cheers came when one of the convention speakers suggested that Canadians who leave Canada to work in the U.S. could be charged $500,000. To this crowd, forcefully detaining Canadian citizens seemed like not just a pleasing idea, but a solution.

In her address, Minister of Industry, Melanie Joly claimed the Liberals are protecting jobs in the auto, steel, and aluminum industry. Yet the Liberals have not secured their promised deal with the U.S. What happened to our win with the U.S. that was promised by Mark Carney during the last election? When recently pressed on the issue by a reporter, the prime minister reportedly responded, “who cares?” Canadians care — especially workers and industries whose livelihoods depend on cross-border trade.

The convention concluded with growing Liberal optimism heading into three federal by-elections. Headlines all day on Monday, April 13 read—Canada votes in three by-elections. But the truth is, Canada did not vote. Voters from three specific ridings voted. Two of the ridings were previously Liberal ridings and known to be Liberal strongholds historically. The third, Terrebonne, Quebec, has flipped between supporting the Bloc and the Liberals.

These by-elections were important because they meant a sure majority for Mr. Carney — a majority not granted through a general election campaign but assembled through backroom deals with politicians who have betrayed the people who voted for them.

The candidates, one by one, after crossing the floor, spoke about Mr. Carney as an epiphany. In a moment of sudden and great revelation, their view of Mr. Carney’s leadership radically changed—at least publicly. The latest floor-crosser, Marilyn Gladu was pasted all over social media this past weekend showing clips of her statements from a few weeks ago, as a Conservative, contrasted side by side with her current statements of epiphany. After posting a video where Gladu called Carney part of the Trudeau-era’s “disastrous mess” of inflation, she now says he’s a leader with a plan. What happened? On the previous floor crossers, Gladu said their actions should have triggered an immediate byelection—and she even signed a petition supporting such a legislative change. While she was known as a “social” conservative, she now commits to supporting the Liberal party line on social issues–even when they run contrary to her traditional Christian values.

With a narrow majority now secured, the government holds the power to pass the decisions they want to put through. There is a much smaller prospect that an election will happen any time soon.

Liberals may think Canadians will give up, grow complacent, and fail to hold them accountable. That will not happen. Our country and its people are worth fighting for.

Canadians remain deeply concerned about affordability, public safety, and economic opportunity. Many continue to struggle with the rising costs of housing, food, and fuel. They expect accountability from those in power.

Conservatives will continue pressing those issues — advocating for affordable living, safer communities, support for resource workers, and a stronger national economy. Conservatives will continue to lead that fight every day and in every way in Parliament, across the country and in the next election, when Canadians will reclaim the country we know and love.