FERNANDO: Enough

Enough

Canada needs an election now.

By Spencer Fernando, Exclusive to the National Citizens Coalition

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“Our country today faces a grave challenge. The incoming administration in the United States is pursuing a policy of aggressive economic nationalism, including a threat of 25 per cent tariffs.

We need to take that threat extremely seriously. That means keeping our fiscal powder dry today, so we have the reserves we may need for a coming tariff war. That means eschewing costly political gimmicks, which we can ill afford and which make Canadians doubt that we recognize the gravity of the moment.”

Are these words from a Conservative Party fundraising email?

Are they from the latest anti-Trudeau diatribe by yours truly?

No, though you could be forgiven for thinking so.

After all, a statement accusing the government of “costly political gimmicks” that Canada “can ill afford,” and questioning the seriousness of the government are generally reserved for the most vehement critics of said government.

And yet, those words are from someone who has worked more closely with Justin Trudeau than about anyone else in the entire country:

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.

In her stunning resignation letter, Freeland helped to confirm what Trudeau’s strongest critics have been saying for years.

He is fiscally irresponsible.

He is unserious.

He expects others to be thrown under the bus for his failures.

And above all else, this line from Freeland’s statement about how Canadians view the government was the most devastating:

“They know when we are working for them, and they equally know when we are focused on ourselves. Inevitably, our time in government will come to an end. But how we deal with the threat our country currently faces will define us for a generation, and perhaps longer. Canada will win if we are strong, smart, and united.”

Left unwritten – but not unsaid by its absence – is that if the Prime Minister was working for Canadians, and if Canada was strong, smart, and united, Freeland wouldn’t be resigning.

Thus, at a critical moment for Canada, a moment that requires the utmost competence and seriousness, the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister lacks confidence in the Prime Minister.

What else is left to say at this point?

When the Conservative Party, Trudeau’s toughest critics, and the Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister are all saying nearly the same thing about the unfitness of the Prime Minister, enough has to be enough.

Justin Trudeau must go.

But that’s not enough.

Canada can’t afford to be subjected to months of Liberal infighting and games at a time when we face a potential economic crisis.

We need an election -- and we need an election now.

The Canadian People must be heard.

The Canadian People, rather than some select insiders in the Liberal Party, must choose who will lead our nation.

At a moment of profound peril for Canada, at a moment when the consequences of weak leadership are heightened, this country can no longer allow itself to be held in the grip of the interminable Justin Trudeau Show.

Justin Trudeau has had nearly a decade to prove he could be an effective Prime Minister.

He has failed, and he has failed so profoundly that some of his closest and most loyal colleagues can no longer pretend otherwise.

Ultimately, this country belongs to the Canadian People, not to Justin Trudeau or any other singular politician.

Justin Trudeau had his time.

Canadians have had enough.

It’s our time now.

Spencer Fernando is one of the most popular and prolific political voices in Canada. He is a writer and campaign fellow for the National Citizens Coalition. Join the mailing list to receive his exclusive weekly columns in your inbox.

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