Month: January 2021

Today Trudeau is saying “For almost a year, Canada’s borders have been closed to foreign travelers.” That is pretty rich, he either believes his own manufactured Liberal spin or he is a blatant liar. Take your pick, neither shows well on a Prime Minister in a G-7 country.

On the day Australia closed its borders to China (1 February 2020), Canada had four confirmed COVID-19 cases, all linked to travel from China. The USA closed its borders to China on February 3^rd.

“At the time, the Trudeau government was still committed to the idea that travel bans don’t work and even suggested that those proposing them might be racist. (CBC 22 June 2020)

Australia would expand their border closure again in March.

“Asked in the Commons why Canada was not doing the same, (Health Minister) Hajdu denounced “the spread of misinformation and fear across Canadian society” and called on the opposition to “not sensationalize the risk to Canadians.” (CBC 22 June 2020)

It was on March 16, 2020 that Canada closed its borders, but exempted US travelers and our PM told snowbirds to come home, which they did through the hotbeds of Covid-19 of New York, Newark, Chicago and Detroit.

Basically, what the PM said today is definitely not accurate.

Unfortunately, Trudeau is becoming another Trump in that what he says cannot be taken seriously and every comment needs to be fact checked and rebutted publicly. But who can do that?

Unfortunately, in Canada we have to rely on the CTV and CBC national news networks to set up something like what done to Trump. Fat chance that will happen in any consistent manner with either of those two networks.

Canada does have some excellent political columnists, but for a lot of Canadians their news comes from those two networks, most Canadians don’t follow or have time for Twitter or other social media sites where politics are discussed.

 Back in our Opposition days in 2003-2006, my research team would send out a “Just the Facts” note to every reporter on the Hill and many elsewhere. It essentially was fact checking Paul Martin’s many exaggerated comments. Over time we saw more and more reporters using our material. I have no idea how the CPC does things today or if they even do something similar. If they are not, they should because we have a Prime Minister who it seems does not hesitate to bend the truth and sadly it looks like he believes himself.

Hey CBC and CTV, you like to fact check during an election- it is time to smarten up and start doing it now.

Keith Beardsley is a former Deputy Chief Of Staff for Issues Management and Question Period coordinator for the Conservative Party.

Anyone following the tragic deaths in our long-term care homes knows that this sector of our province has been largely ignored over time by both the present Ontario government and previous ones. Out of sight out of mind would be a good description- until of course an election comes along and all of a sudden, all sorts of politicians are shilling for their votes.

Few people realize what it costs for a senior to stay in one of these homes and believe me they don’t go willingly, but out of necessity.

Out this way in rural south Ottawa it is quite common for a senior (or their children if the senior can’t afford it) to be paying $3,000 to $6,000 per month. In many urban centers it can be much more.

Regardless of where the senior is staying and because their health is so vulnerable, you would think these homes would have high safety standards during a pandemic.

Yet, the record shows otherwise, especially in for-profit homes run by the big chains. A recent report noted nearly twice as many were infected in for-profit homes and they had a 78% higher mortality rate. Of course, the PR folks always have an excuse, they are older homes, they are more crowded etc. If that is true, shouldn’t the home have stricter standards?  Shouldn’t they be investing more money in rapid testing and in providing state of the art protective gear for staff?

The Ford government needs to start kicking some butt- legislate strict standards that must be met and crack down on the for-profit sector. If 3 of the chains can pay out $178 million to shareholders during the pandemic, there is no excuse for them needing government funds to improve safety protocols and standards in their homes.

Right now, it appears the government strategy is to rely on vaccinations to improve the conditions and mortality rate. With the screw ups in the vaccine roll out that is obviously a failed strategy.

In the meantime, out of sight out of mind until the daily case numbers come out.

Derek Sloan was finally kicked out of the Conservative caucus today. Whether he was guilty or not of knowingly accepting a donation from Fromm one can argue from now to eternity. But, no one should be surprised he was kicked out; it was long overdue. His previous transgressions were widely known.

For a party to win in modern day politics, it has to be united behind one leader with one plan.

This requires discipline.

You can’t have members of your caucus out there on their own doing their own thing. Messaging has to be tightly controlled especially with today’s widespread use of social media. Instant news stories will drive issue management teams crazy.

Thinking back, after O’Toole’s victory, one had to wonder if he or his finance critic was the leader of the party. Whose name garnered the headlines day after day. For O’Toole to become PM this cannot happen.

To be blunt, the leader takes precedence. Others speak when he wants them to as part of a coordinated plan and communication strategy.

It was team play by both former Canadian Alliance and former Progressive Conservative MPs working together that made Harper Prime Minister. It will be teamwork by ALL MEMBERS of the present Conservative caucus that will make O’Toole the next Prime Minister.

The leader has to be focused and yes ruthless at times in imposing discipline on his caucus. If he doesn’t have the stomach for it, then he needs to find someone to be his hatchet man. One way or another the caucus has to realize that each MP is but one player on the team, they are never the only game in town as much as their ego might want them to think so.

Stupidity seems to have infected the political class including- MLA’s, ministers, and political staff.

What do they NOT get about restricting travel during the COVID pandemic, especially in provinces with a lock down in place?

It is pretty simple- when the health advice on federal and provincial websites is asking you to stay at home- why would you take off for Hawaii, the UK, or a Caribbean island?

All have the same ridiculous apology to offer- they are so sorry. Sure, once they got caught!

One premier-Jason Kenney even offered some cover for his bunch of delinquents. Why?

Every one of these travelers should pay a political price for their stupidity.

While the spotlight is usually on government members, even the opposition can get caught up in feeling too self-important. Sadly, the “don’t do as I do, just do what I say” attitude inflicts politicians and staff at all levels and in all parties.

Yes, they are entitled to a holiday- try a staycation like the rest of us.

This feeling of entitlement is quite common when governments are into their second or third mandate, but some of these are first term governments. I can only imagine what these individuals will be like if they survive into a second or third mandate.

The best advice we used to give our MPs was think before you act and how would it look on the front page of the Globe and Mail or Toronto Star?

It is this type of entitled behavior that makes a mockery of their own governments pandemic efforts and encourages the population to also flout the rules.

I doubt they can be fined or docked pay, but I would love their bosses to publicly ask them to donate their entire salary (for the days they broke the rules) to a charity, preferably one working with COVID-19 patients.

Maybe then they will learn they are not so important or above the rules the rest of us live by.

What do you think?

Keith Beardsley is a former senior political staffer and advisor to five federal party leaders with over 40 years of political involvement including both opposition and government roles.