P is for Populism

It has been several years since we have posted on our political blog but it seems appropriate to anticipate both the federal election and Alberta election gearing up for 2019. 

Since 2016 the rise of what is now being termed “populism” has rapidly increased to the point where it often falls into the more worrying term or xenophobia.  Donald Trump arriving on the political scene has catapulted populism to front and centre not only in the USA but here in Canada.  However he is not the only driving force of populism since it is growing steadily in Europe, and elsewhere in the world, at the same time and with even more speed.

Canadians should be very wary of this trend not only for its immediate effect on society but also the long term effects.  In the foreseeable future many societal advancements (if we use the “liberal” view) of such things as pro-choice, LGBTQ rights, multi-culturalism, acceptance of legal refugees and so forth may be overturned or compromised.  But longer term, if these things are indeed overturned or compromised we could slide onto a slippery slope that may lead us into something a great deal more sinister.  Taking away human rights can lead into a very narrow, regressive regime.

Populism also appeals to many people by using one issue topics to lure people into favoring a candidate or party.  For instance, many people simply abhor paying taxes of any kind so when a politician says he will cut, cut, cut taxes, do be aware that the only way to cut taxes is also to cut programs. Naturally the selfish non-tax payer will be okay with cutting programs that they don’t need because why should that non-taxpayer want to help his fellow citizen? Never mind if he happens to go to the same church as you, because why should he pay for his fellow citizen’s daughter to have an abortion?  And that citizen on the other side him, why should he want to pay for his old age security or his employment insurance?  It’s no skin off the non-taxpayer's nose if his neighbour loses his house or his dignity.  Why should a single mom get cheaper daycare when someone like Doug Ford says a program 4 months old is “not working” – like he would be telling the truth on that one?  Let’s make sure, this populist non-taxpayer kicks everyone who is down, as long as it is not him or his kids. 

Populism is a nasty, nasty movement . . . and we haven’t even touched on refugees in this article.