'The SNC-Lavalin story is certainly significant, but perhaps not to the degree that its central chroniclers would like, and without the effect that they hope to achieve. Mind you, that would be downright impossible.'

It’s strange being a journalist and commentator in the age of SNC-Lavalin. I say “age” when perhaps “moment” might be more apposite. Because try as I might I simply can’t become as excited over all this as so many of my colleagues so clearly are. It’s not that I’m a Liberal, even though anybody who refuses to join in the anti-Trudeau campaign is generally condemned as a party stooge. Actually I vote NDP, and while I applaud the Liberals on many issues I also believe that they have failed the progressive cause in numerous areas.

Nor do I think that the SNC-Lavalin issue is unimportant. If anything, it reveals the blurring of power and connections that goes to the heart of the two-party system that exists in Ottawa. I’ve seen Tories and Liberals for too long, and too intimately, to believe that there is not a symbiotic relationship between the party machines and various business interests, consulting firms and lobbyists.

But is this particular case the worst example of it all, and is it as repugnant and significant as so many journalists are now claiming? I just don’t see it. In fact the discrepancy between media coverage of SNC and the popular reaction is quite shocking. Every poll shows, understandably, the Liberals as being damaged by all of this, but nothing like to the extent that the journalistic coverage would indicate. In that the discussion and the condemnation fills virtually every newspaper, magazine, and television and radio show every day, Trudeau should be about as popular as a porcupine at a nudist colony.

Yet while his prestige and reputation has clearly been damaged, he is still more appealing that his rivals, and with the election not until October it is entirely possible that he will win. Part of that is because the Canadian people are not stupid, and realize that whatever the importance of the SNC story it’s clear that many people are motivated more by visceral hatred of Justin Trudeau than by support for Jody Wilson-Raybould. In other words, this is schadenfreude rather than justice, and that can become rather tiresome rather quickly.

The other aspect is that the main opposition, the Conservatives, is led by one of the least experienced major politicians in recent times. Andrew Scheer is not a bad man but he was never supposed to be party leader, only triumphed on the 13th ballot of the leadership contest, and seems to have very little political skill and ability to present his ideas.This was demonstrated last week when a supporter claimed during a filmed event that the Clintons were involved in child abduction and sacrifice, and that Justin Trudeau had donated huge amounts of money to their foundation. This is the notorious and repugnant “Pizzagate” lie. Instead of correcting the questioner, or distancing himself from this deranged and dangerous nonsense, Scheer said nothing, and simply answered the man’s question. His handlers later claimed that the Tory leader either didn’t hear what was said or had no knowledge of the obscene theory. The denials just don’t ring true.

He also has behind him some of the most right-wing politicians ever to sit in the Canadian House of Commons, and the provocative antics of MPs like Pierre Poilievre and Michael Cooper do not go unnoticed. Then there is Scheer’s campaign chair being Hamish Marshall, a former director of Rebel Media. Marshall seems to have broken with Ezra Levant’s risible right-wing outfit, but it took him a long time. I worked with Levant at Sun News until it closed more than four years ago, and he asked me to work for the Rebel. I did — unlike Mr. Marshall, however, it took me 24 hours to realize that this was not a good place to be.

The NDP presents a less offensive choice but the party is haemorrhaging some of its best parliamentary candidates and Jagmeet Singh is an inexperienced leader still finding his way.

But the issue goes beyond the risk of voting for a party other than the Liberals. The hyperbole thrown at Justin Trudeau, and the accusations that he has achieved nothing and is a constant hypocrite are over-the-top. His inconsistency isn’t a sign of gross dishonesty, and the utter lack of nuance in some of the more vehement attacks on him have begun to play to deaf ears. The perception is that it’s become more about personality than politics, and even looks like bullying, which ironically is the very crime of which the prime minister is being accused.

As I say, the SNC-Lavalin story is certainly significant, but perhaps not to the degree that its central chroniclers would like, and without the effect that they hope to achieve. Mind you, that would be downright impossible.

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