As Parliament resumes, the Trudeau government officially hits middle age — two years in, two years to go until the next federal election.
Midlife is traditionally time to take stock, to ask what we’ve accomplished, what’s left to do and how much time we have left before the kids (or, in the political context, voters) pack us off to the retirement home.
Such introspection can lead to that other symptom of advanced middle age: the mid-life crisis. But this government doesn’t seem to be in the market for a sports car or hair plugs; if anything, Trudeau is doubling down on the current list of commitments, from planned changes to small business taxation to cannabis legalization. With a slew of promises to keep, the Liberals are damning the torpedoes, deploying time allocation and closing their eyes and ears to the howls not only of the opposition, but of an increasing number of Canadians who question whether this rush to pass legislation is about good government or mere political expediency.
Nowhere is this more evident than with the marijuana file. Trudeau’s promise to legalize recreational cannabis use was a cornerstone of his last election platform — not just in substance, but in style. It drew a clear line in the sand between him and both Tom Mulcair and Stephen Harper: modern vs. traditional, young vs. old, hip vs. square. Harper railed against the dangers to children: “If we sell marijuana in stores like alcohol and tobacco, that will protect our kids? No one believes that.” Mulcair sounded a note of caution: “We are on track to full legalization, but it is more complicated than snapping your fingers. We are not going to have weed being sold at the LCBO tomorrow morning.”
Trudeau, in contrast, promised to work on legalization “right away” and said that it could happen anywhere from a month to a “year or two” into a Liberal government.
Read the full article on iPolitics.