Caustic comments that could cost votes

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/01/2025 (247 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On Saturday, Liberal MP and Transport Minister Anita Anand announced that she will not be seeking the leadership of the federal Liberal Party, and will not be running for re-election in the upcoming federal election. She had previously held a number of cabinet portfolios, including defence minister and Treasury Board president, and is highly regarded for her intelligence, ethics and work ethic.

Her announcement has been greeted with surprise and disappointment by many Liberals who believe she possesses the tools and moral compass that would have made her a great Liberal leader and prime minister. A number of her opponents in the House of Commons have also responded with warm words and wishes.

Foremost among those well-wishers is former Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole, who posted on social media that he “saw the dedication @AnitaAnandMP brought to National Defence at a time it was desperately needed. She cared deeply about the CAF, their families & the need for Canada to do more. I wish her fair winds and following seas.”

O’Toole’s words reflect the decency of the man, who served in the Canadian Forces before entering politics. Surprisingly, those same words drew the contempt of Jenni Byrne, who held senior positions in the Harper government and is expected to serve as chief of staff for current Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre if the Tories win the next election.

Byrne posted on social media that “For anyone unsure why Erin is no longer Leader of the Conservative Party … She supported DEI policies like name, rank, and pronouns. Tampons in men’s rooms, etc. …”

At a time when the Poilievre Tories are relying on a diverse, fragile coalition of Canadians to return them to government, Byrne’s comments provide a troubling insight into the attitudes at the highest echelons of the Conservative Party. They exhibit a toxic mean-spiritedness — something Byrne is widely renowned for — at a time when her party is trying to persuade moderate swing voters that the party is a tolerant and inclusive organization where Canadians from all walks of life can feel welcome and respected.

Her caustic comments regarding O’Toole reflect the so-called “anti-woke” rhetoric that we often hear from U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and Peoples’ Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier and their respective supporters. Her negative allusion to “DEI policies” suggests that the Conservatives are opposed to efforts to make government and society more equitable and inclusive to Canadians of all races and religions.

Her use of the offensive phrase “tampons in men’s rooms” is inflammatory rhetoric that appears to suggest an anti-trans/anti-gay antipathy. If that is the case, what is her view — and that of her colleague, Mr. Poilievre — on issues such as gay marriage, the so-called “parental rights” movement and the book-banning that its proponents often call for?

Ms. Byrne enjoys a reputation as a determined and successful Conservative Party strategist, but her comments and history are cause to wonder if that reputation is deserved. After all, she led the movement to oust O’Toole as Tory leader following the 2021 federal election, based on the argument that his efforts to moderate his party’s positions on issues such as the carbon tax, abortion and gun control had cost the party the election.

The argument didn’t made sense then and makes even less sense now. The Tories lost the 2021 election because of the party’s inflexible position on issues such as abortion and gun control. O’Toole’s efforts to soften the Tories’ approach to those issues may have incensed diehards within the party, but it gave the party a better, not worse, chance of winning that election.

Three years later, it is it clear that Byrne and Poilievre’s Tories have still not learned their lesson from the 2021 election. They continue to advocate policies, attitudes and values that do not reflect the values of most Canadians. It is fair to ask if they even reflect the views of many Conservative MPs and candidates.

For example, Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire supported O’Toole in his bid to become Conservative leader. Does he agree with Byrne’s comments regarding O’Toole, or will rise to the defence of his friend and former leader?

If Conservatives wonder why they are so good at losing elections, they need only re-read Byrne’s comments regarding O’Toole and ask themselves how moderate voters would interpret them.

She has given Canadians a glimpse of the caustic, corrosive values that guide today’s Conservative Party. And she has given those same Canadians reason to ask themselves why they would want those same values to guide their nation’s government.