Addressing the Liberal Party convention in Ottawa last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked some of the criticism his government has gotten lately from the Conservative opposition.
“They either say investing in Canadians is a waste of money or that our policies are too woke,” he said. “Too woke?”
He continued, directing his gaze at the TV camera perched on a riser in the middle of the room: “Hey, Pierre Poilievre. It’s time for you to wake up.”
The crowd in the convention hall cheered as Trudeau listed a series of policies that were, in his telling, merely good and sensible.
Those Liberals may have been pleased to hear their leader pushing back against this line of attack. And Trudeau might be happy to have this fight.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau makes a keynote address at the 2023 Liberal National Convention in Ottawa on Thursday, May 4, 2023. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
But grappling with the pejorative use of the word “woke” at this point could be like trying to box a shadow. Because whatever it originally meant, woke has become a way to say something without saying anything.
According to new survey data from Pollara, 57 per cent of Canadians claim to have at least a general idea of what woke means. But less than 27 per cent of all Canadians say they could explain the term to someone else (Pollara deliberately did not offer a definition to survey respondents when it conducted the poll). And it stands to reason that, even in that group, there are different definitions in use.
(Dan Arnold, Pollara’s chief strategy officer, was director of research for the Trudeau government from 2015 to 2021.)
The term originated among Black Americans decades ago and came to mean being socially and politically conscious of injustices. It has gradually slipped into the mainstream over the last 20 years, carried along in part by the Black Lives Matter protests that originated in the United States.
A protester holds up a Black Lives Matter sign behind Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as people take part in an anti-racism protest on Parliament Hill on Friday, June 5, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)
At present, the Merriam-Webster dictionary describes woke as an adjective that means “aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).”
But the word also became part of America’s culture wars in recent years, its meaning turned around to mock those seen as excessively or performatively committed to advocating for equality or other social causes.
Eventually, that backlash spread north. Former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole used the term during a video call with young Conservatives in 2020 when discussing a plan to rename the former Ryerson University because of its namesake’s association with residential schools.
Since succeeding O’Toole as leader, Poilievre has embraced the word even more enthusiastically, while stretching its meaning even further.
The many, many things that are ‘woke’
In an email to supporters last June, Poilievre said the Liberal government’s “obsession with woke culture” had made university campuses inhospitable to those with differing viewpoints.
Subsequent messages from Poilievre and his party have used “woke” in the context of Bill C-11, legislation that will apply Canadian content regulations to major Internet platforms (Conservatives say it will be used to “censor” Canadians). Other Conservative messages have broadly invoked the Trudeau government’s supposedly “radical woke agenda.”
In the House of Commons, Poilievre has used the word to describe the CRTC, mayors whose housing policies he opposes, and a culture that allegedly is driving people away from military service. On Thursday, Poilievre said Trudeau’s woke “ideology” explained the government’s changes to the passport.
More common sense, less woke nonsense. <br><br>Let’s <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BringItHome?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BringItHome</a> <a href=”https://t.co/Rrm1hzcjCS”>pic.twitter.com/Rrm1hzcjCS</a>
In his remarks at the Liberal convention, Trudeau mentioned a few examples of policies and actions that he seemed to think Poilievre might find too woke: a gender-balanced cabinet, reducing poverty, expanding access to affordable child care.
“Let me tell you something — $10-a-day child care is not woke policy. It’s economic policy,” he said.
But Poilievre didn’t mention any of those things in a video he posted to Twitter the next morning. Instead, after referring to Trudeau’s “woke ways,” the Conservative leader listed a series of concerns: the Liberal government’s latest gun control measures and the decriminalization of simple drug possession in British Columbia, pricing carbon emissions and the prime minister going on vacation, an increase in spending on the public service and the recent public service strike.
It’s possible Poilievre was trying to suggest these examples somehow showed hypocrisy on Trudeau’s part. But it’s fair to say the legendary blues singer Lead Belly probably didn’t have any of those things in mind when he told Black Americans to “stay woke” in 1938.
In Poilievre’s interpretation, woke serves as little more than a catch-all term for whatever conservative politicians and commentators happen to oppose at the moment — much the way “socialism” used to be wielded as a weapon against progressive proposals.
How Canadians feel about woke (and other words)
But even if his own definition isn’t clear — and even if most people couldn’t tell you what woke means — Poilievre might still be speaking to a receptive audience.
According to Pollara, 31 per cent of Canadians who have at least heard the word think woke is “usually” a “bad thing,” while 16 per cent think it’s usually a “good thing.”
Among Conservative voters, the split is even more stark — just five per cent say woke is good, while 57 per cent say it’s bad. Bloc Quebecois voters feel similarly, with seven per cent saying good and 50 per cent saying bad.
Liberal and NDP voters are much more inclined to view “woke” as a good thing — 31 per cent of Liberal supporters and 36 per cent of NDP voters like the word. But even those parties must contend with voters who think there’s something “bad” about being woke — 14 per cent among Liberals, 13 per cent among New Democrats.
The woke wants to delete Mother’s Day.<br><br>This ugly and weird ideology—which Trudeau endorsed at his party convention—wants to delete everything except the state which would control everything and everyone.<a href=”https://t.co/cW1Ts50eqm”>https://t.co/cW1Ts50eqm</a>
Nationally, just 25 per cent of Canadians consider themselves woke, including only 14 per cent of Quebecers — which might explain why Trudeau decided to defend himself against Poilievre’s attacks last week.
But while many Canadians understand woke to be a bad thing, they maintain a positive view of other words associated with social justice causes. According to Pollara, “Black Lives Matter” had a net good/bad rating of plus-35, while pride flags were plus-34. Feminism, #MeToo, allyship and affirmative action were plus-30, plus-28, plus-26 and plus-21, respectively.
Canadians seem to suspect that there’s something different about being woke even as they broadly support the sorts of causes that, once upon a time, would have been associated with wokeness.
How Poilievre defines woke
During debate on C-11 in late March, Liberal MP Jenica Atwin asked Poilievre how he would define “woke.”
“Woke has one purpose and only one purpose. It has plenty of pretexts but only one purpose: control,” Poilievre responded. “It is designed to divide people by race, gender, ethnicity, religion, vaccine status and any other way one can divide people into groups. Why? It is because then one can justify having a government to control all those groups.”
Poilievre’s references to race and gender might seem to point back to woke’s official definition and the backlash to it. But other than the apparent reference to vaccine mandates, Poilievre didn’t link his definition to any specific federal policies.
And it’s not obvious how this definition would line up with the examples that the Conservative leader cited in his video response to Trudeau’s speech. (Poilievre’s office did not respond to an email seeking further explanation.)
Are any of those policies too woke? What exactly is woke about the Trudeau government and how precisely would a Poilievre government be different?
In the absence of actual specifics, the word isn’t much more than a schoolyard taunt. And if there is a fight to be had here, the first step would seem to be getting those who use the word to explain exactly what they think it means.
HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government has released a code of conduct for municipal politicians across the province.
The code includes 40 guidelines under 14 categories, covering topics from gifts and benefits, to how officials should handle confidential information.
Municipal Affairs Minister John Lohr says a code ensuring elected municipal officials have clear guidance on conduct and behaviour is long overdue.
The code was originally requested by the provinces’ municipalities and villages, and it was developed based on recommendations of a working group established in January 2022.
The working group recommended a code that applied across the province, with processes for investigating complaints and imposing sanctions.
The provincial government says councils and village commissions must adopt the code of conduct by Dec. 19.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
OTTAWA – The House of Commons returns today from a week-long break, but it’s unlikely to be business as usual.
Members of Parliament are slated to resume debating a Conservative demand for documents about federal spending on green technology projects.
The matter of privilege has all but paralyzed House business as the Liberals try to maintain a grip on an increasingly fractious minority Parliament.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to face the most serious challenge to his leadership to date.
Several media reports have detailed the plans of a group of Liberal MPs to confront Trudeau at the party’s Wednesday caucus meeting over sagging poll numbers and gloomy electoral prospects.
The precise strategy and breadth of the attempt to push Trudeau to resign remain unclear, though some MPs who spoke to The Canadian Press on background said the number of members involved is significant.
Trudeau could sidestep both problems by taking the controversial step of proroguing Parliament, which would end the session and set the stage for a fresh throne speech.
Some political watchers have mused the move would allow time for a Liberal leadership race if Trudeau were to step down.
The prime minister also plans to soon shuffle his cabinet to replace four ministers who don’t plan to run again in the next election.
A general election is scheduled to be held in October next year, but could come sooner if the Liberals lose the confidence of the House.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
STONECREST, Ga. (AP) — Kamala Harris told the congregation of a large Black church in suburban Atlanta on Sunday that people must show compassion and respect in their daily lives and do more than just “preach the values.”
The Democratic presidential nominee’s visit to New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest on her 60th birthday, marked by a song by the congregation, was part of a broad, nationwide campaign, known as “Souls to the Polls,” that encourages Black churchgoers to vote.
Pastor Jamal Bryant said the vice president was “an American hero, the voice of the future” and “our fearless leader.” He also used his sermon to welcome the idea of America electing a woman for the first time as president. “It takes a real man to support a real woman,” Bryant said.
“When Black women roll up their sleeves, then society has got to change,” the pastor said.
Harris told the parable of the Good Samaritan from the Gospel of Luke, about a man who was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and was attacked by robbers. The traveler was beaten and left bloodied, but helped by a stranger.
All faiths promote the idea of loving thy neighbor, Harris said, but far harder to achieve is truly loving a stranger as if that person were a neighbor.
“In this moment, across our nation, what we do see are some who try to deepen division among us, spread hate, sow fear and cause chaos,” Harris told the congregation. “The true measure of the strength of a leader is based on who you lift up.”
She was more somber than during her political rallies, stressing that real faith means defending humanity. She said the Samaritan parable reminds people that “it is not enough to preach the values of compassion and respect. We must live them.”
Harris ended by saying, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning,” as attendees applauded her.
Many in attendance wore pink to promote breast cancer awareness. Also on hand was Opal Lee, an activist in the movement to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday. Harris hugged her.
The vice president also has a midday stop at Divine Faith Ministries International in Jonesboro with singer Stevie Wonder, before taping an interview with the Rev. Al Sharpton that will air later Sunday on MSNBC. The schedule reflects her campaign’s push to treat every voting group like a swing state voter, trying to appeal to them all in a tightly contested election with early voting in progress.
Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, headed to church in Saginaw, Michigan, and his wife, Gwen, was going to a service in Las Vegas.
The “Souls to the Polls” effort launched last week and is led by the National Advisory Board of Black Faith Leaders, which is sending representatives across battleground states as early voting begins in the Nov. 5 election.
“My father used to say, a ‘voteless people is a powerless people’ and one of the most important steps we can take is that short step to the ballot box,” Martin Luther King III said Friday. “When Black voters are organized and engaged, we have the power to shift the trajectory of this nation.”
On Saturday, the vice president rallied supporters in Detroit with singer Lizzo before traveling to Atlanta to focus on abortion rights, highlighting the death of a Georgia mother amid the state’s restrictive abortion laws that took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court, with three justices nominated by Donald Trump, overturned Roe v. Wade.
“Donald Trump still refuses to take accountability, to take any accountability, for the pain and the suffering he has caused,” Harris said.
Harris is a Baptist whose husband, Doug Emhoff, is Jewish. She has said she’s inspired by the work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and influenced by the religious traditions of her mother’s native India as well as the Black Church. Harris sang in the choir as a child at Twenty Third Avenue Church of God in Oakland.
“Souls to the Polls” as an idea traces back to the Civil Rights Movement. The Rev. George Lee, a Black entrepreneur from Mississippi, was killed by white supremacists in 1955 after he helped nearly 100 Black residents register to vote in the town of Belzoni. The cemetery where Lee is buried has served as a polling place.
Black church congregations across the country have undertaken get-out-the-vote campaigns for years. In part to counteract voter suppression tactics that date back to the Jim Crow era, early voting in the Black community is stressed from pulpits nearly as much as it is by candidates.
In Georgia, early voting began on Tuesday, and more than 310,000 people voted on that day, more than doubling the first-day total in 2020. A record 5 million people voted in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
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This story has been corrected to reflect that the mobilization effort launched last week, not Oct. 20.
