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And therein lies the thing that most disturbed me Sunday night. Not that many Canadians are willing to forgive the PM anything. After the closed-mindedness of the previous government, it’s understandable. But now, theatre has overtaken politics to the point where it passes for politics. And everyone is happy to jump into the game.

This has much more serious implications than people realize. Listening is not governing. It is part of governing, but at some point leaders have to close the door and do the heavy lifting. Refugee resettlement needs to be planned. Canada’s role in the fight against ISIL must be defined. The 2016-17 budget needs to be crafted. (Curiously, the government will not be listening to people for that one, as they have cancelled the usual pre-budget submission process).

Government-as-reality-show can also produce a very profound shift, with long-term implications. It conflates love of the leader with love of government itself. This is wholly consistent with Liberal thinking: government is benevolent. It is your friend. It is here to help. As Trudeau told unemployed oilfield worker Danny on Sunday night, “Your country will be there for you.” And this conflation of country, government and leader becomes far more digestible when delivered by a popular and sympathetic figure.

Trudeau’s use of language is also very important. Author Susan Delacourt noted in a column in iPolitics this week that the PM prefers the word “citizen” to “taxpayer,” because “taxpayer” implies a one-way relationship with the state. Instead, Trudeau considers us “giver-receivers.” This shifts the paradigm, opening the door to bigger government. Don’t we want to receive more? Shouldn’t government be doing more? In a time of economic uncertainty, when industries from the oil patch to the newsroom are shedding jobs, many will find this a tempting sell.

Lesson learned: I’m not going to get angry on TV again. There are better ways to get a point across. But I’m not going to stay silent, either. Spectacle has a place, but it should not pave the way for a new Leviathan. Canadians deserve more than circuses, especially when they can’t afford the bread.

National Post

See more from Tasha at Tashakheiriddin.com.