Diane Francis: The Liberal electoral anchor will take Canada down with it

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This election was a $600-million waste of time, thanks to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

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Like promises of clean water for Indigenous people, tree-planting and timely vaccines, this vote was another botched initiative by Trudeau. His failure to reach his goal of getting a majority is another example of his modus operandi, which is to concoct policies and initiatives that are unjustified, unformulated, unfunded and, in the end, go unfulfilled.

For the second time in a row, Tories won the popular vote but came up short in terms of seats. Even worse, the country may have to go through this again in 2023: during the TVA debate, Trudeau said he would hold another election in 18 months, if he didn’t get a majority.

The only bright light was that Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole performed well and received a lot of media coverage, and is now on the public’s radar and will hopefully hold Trudeau to account.

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However, the Tories must evaluate why they didn’t do better, given the widespread dislike of Trudeau and the election call. O’Toole’s momentum ended when he was forced to wade into debates over mandatory vaccinations and the government’s assault-rifle ban. This provided an opening for an army of Liberal trolls and pundits to hijack the campaign and smear him.

Relegated to a minority but ensconced, Trudeau will spend our money to win the next election. That means another $600 million here, $600 million there, and new teeth, free drugs and cheap daycare to buy votes. Trudeau will do this with complete impunity because the NDP will provide him with an effective majority, in return for even more socialism, which he will happily oblige.

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Trudeau’s next budget is predictable: it will be the biggest vote-buying, tax-the-rich document since his father, Pierre Trudeau, pillaged the oilpatch in 1980. This will drive away investment and hinder our ability to recruit talented newcomers.

Trudeau won’t attract foreign direct investment to create the jobs Canada lost due to his attacks on this country’s resource base. As a result, Canada’s energy sector, and its economy, will continue to suffer.

This unfortunate electoral outcome also means the country’s military and international standing in alliances such as the Quad, Five Eyes, NATO and NORAD will continue to decline, despite continuing threats from Russia and China.

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On the other hand, Trudeau’s failure to get a majority is a rebuke of his ridiculous immigration plan, his failure to address money laundering, his poor relationships with our allies and his government’s overspending.

What’s apparent is that Canada’s left-wing base of voters is as entrenched as America’s right-wing base of voters. Neither contingent can be budged, even in the face of poor leadership, facts, hazards or smarter alternatives. That’s a formula for decline on both sides of the border.

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