Priorities for a troubled electorate

Most Canadians I talk to don’t seem particularly happy about the state of affairs at play in our country. They feel worse off today than they did before the pandemic. They dislike some of the tawdry antics from our political class. They worry about their children’s or grandchildren’s future. They have an unsettled sense of safety in their communities. And, yes, some are worried about what political change come the next election could mean for them and for the nation. I suppose it is of some comfort, then, to see that, at the very least, party leaders all agree that Canadians are struggling. Our next election will be decided on whether voters feel it’s time for a change, or if the Liberals can still right the ship after all these years. So, let’s look at what the parties could consider as we approach the election. For years now, the Liberals have told Canadians that they are working hard to make life better. Dental and pharmacare, the Canada Child Benefit, pandemic relief supports, and new health accords are multi-billion-dollar investments that promise to do just that. Ten years of deficit spending were justified as a means to make life better. Of concern for Liberals, though, should be that Canadians are not heeding the message. New graduates struggle with debt and difficult job prospects coupled with a feeling that finding stable housing and planning their financial future is more like a dream. Every politician talks about housing, but the reality is most Canadians won’t see positive change in the near future. Affordability is at a crisis level for so many people, and three interest rate cuts and inflation finally falling will not impact their bottom line for some time. Seniors wonder how their fixed incomes will cover costs, and others consider if they can ever retire. Our sense of public safety and community has been upended. As someone who fell victim to a home invasion this summer while my wife and I were putting our newborn to bed, it seems every Canadian has their own anecdote about why they are frustrated. It begs the question: if the government says it’s making life better, and remains ruthlessly focused on the topic but Canadians don’t feel that way, has it really made a difference, and do they deserve another term in government? This fall, the government has to focus on delivering on past promises, and ensuring programs are reaching Canadians; the business of governing well. Coupled with this, it needs a concise economic and social agenda that can restore optimism and hope. Voters must see the change in their lives. Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives have done an excellent job focusing their priorities on why so many Canadians are unhappy. They want the next election to be framed as a change election, and for voters to dwell on the questions above. Polling, fundraising, and the length of time the Liberals have spent in power is on their side. With the recent collapse of the Liberal-NDP supply-and-confidence agreement, the Conservatives are well positioned to capitalize on an early election, and will seek to force one at every opportunity. They argue Canadians can’t wait, and many voters agree. By continuing to focus on affordability, public safety, and our country’s economic future, Conservatives will use Parliament in session as one component of an overall campaign to communicate to Canadians that they are ready to govern. They will also continue to hold the government to account using every legislative procedure which they can avail themselves: votes, opposition motions and legislation, committees, Question Period, and speeches in the House. For the New Democrats, the end of the supply-and-confidence agreement will chart a new path forward. Many of their voters have felt that while they have earned concessions from the Liberals during the time the agreement stood, it has often been too little, or too late. The NDP should lean into voters’ frustrations, and outline how their party—if elected—would take bolder action to tackle housing, affordability, and economic prospects for Canadians. It can do this while still voting alongside the government on confidence items to prevent a fall election. The top issues on Canadians’ minds are no secret. Voters want to feel like they are heard, and to see real change in their lives at a time when many don’t see a future for themselves. The party that can best capture this mindset will win on election day. Christian von Donat is a vice-president at Impact Public Affairs. He has worked in federal and provincial politics across Canada, advising party leaders and senior officials, running campaigns, and developing policy. The Hill Times

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Priorities for a troubled electorate

This fall, the government has to focus on delivering on past promises and ensuring programs are reaching Canadians.

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