The coming of a new year is generally viewed as a time of renewal – an opportunity to shake off the shackles of past imperfection and move on with a view to revitalization.
Each year at this time, I like to make new year’s resolutions about personal improvement, renunciation of bad habits and adherence to a higher standard.
Not for me of course. Slim chance any of that would stick once the first sign of temptation or tough sledding sets in.
No, my resolutions are for others, generally those whose behaviour impacts all our lives in one way or another.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, for example, should resolve to run future policy moves through a filter that includes the question “What could possibly go wrong?”
A few minutes of gaming out potential ramifications might have saved Ontarians months of watching the man flip flop like a landed trout on everything from Greenbelt development to municipal makeup.
The question is similar to one voters might ask themselves before tripling down next election on a leader who’s penchant for bad calls would make him a better fit in a hockey rink than a political arena.
Either way he could still end up wearing a striped shirt and surrounded by whistle-blowers once the RCMP finishes with his file.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is another high office holder who could benefit from resolving to combine a bit of crystal ball gazing with historical reflection. The PM is sinking so fast in the polls it might behoove him to remember what happened to their respective parties when doomed politicos like Brian Mulroney and Kathleen Wynne hung on too long, clinging to faint hopes of a rebound.
Similar devastation to today’s federal Liberals could leave Canadians looking long-term at a Pierre Poilievre prime-ministership. Entrusting the nation’s economy, well-being and international standing to a crypto-booster with a convoy worldview seems a bad bet. Not that a Tory win is inevitable, but political pendulums have traditionally swung with uncanny regularity in this country.
Given his improving prospects, the official opposition leader might resolve to start curating a list of actual plans and policies to tackle issues like housing, immigration and inflation. The enduring gotcha of political life is that if your empty buzzwords, smears and mud flinging are eventually successful in helping you best your political opponent, they are no longer of any value once it’s incumbent on you to start governing.
This year I have a resolution aimed at a group, rather than an individual.
In November of this year, Americans will go to the polls in an election that could literally lead to the rejection of democracy or its resurgence in their country, with broad global implications flowing from either result.
As their nearest northern neighbour, I don’t feel it’s too much for Canadians to ask of them to vote for a candidate whose motivation leans more toward public service than prison avoidance.
Seriously though, if the U.S. elects a multiple-indited narcissistic meglomanic who’s announced plans to implement a dictatorship, as president, it’s not going to matter much if our premier finally manages to get liquor into corner stores or Poilieve puts his glasses back on.
All bets will be pretty much off at that point.
So here’s wishing for a healthy happy and relatively sane new year.
Surely we’re due?
