Former Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff says it is possible that the debate over climate change “could break democratic politics” in Canada if federal policies simply ignore the considerations of energy-producing provinces in the West.
Speaking at Cambridge University two weeks before Canadian mining company Teck cancelled its plan for an estimated $20 billion oilsands mine in Alberta over political uncertainty and amid social unrest, including railroad blockades, protesting a B.C. natural gas pipeline, Ignatieff said that a functional political system requires a “necessary hypocrisy” to navigate debates like the one that pits Canada’s natural resource economy against climate change priorities.
“If you produce energy, your kids’ jobs depend on it, you depend on it, you have one take on this. A national political system has to adjudicate that,” Ignatieff said at the February 12 event which was to help launch Cambridge University’s new Centre for the Future of Democracy, and was posted this past weekend on the Talking Politics podcast feed.
All this stuff is going to get tougher and tougher and tougher for every society
“If you don’t believe that’s a process you have to go through, if you just think, oh, forget about Alberta and Saskatchewan, forget about the energy-producing provinces because the mortal threat is so great we just read out a whole constituency of our country from consideration, you get away from democracy,” said Ignatieff, who in addition to his brief political career as leader of the federal Liberals in opposition from 2008 and 2011, is also an author, a public intellectual, a professor of international politics and is currently rector and President of Central European University.
“All this stuff is going to get tougher and tougher and tougher for every society but if you don’t believe that it’s in democracy that we adjudicate those conflicts and everyone gets less than they want, we’ll blow the place up.”
Ignatieff said that while many climate activists treat the issue as one that transcends politics, the political system is in fact vital to balancing a country’s conflicting priorities.
“It has to take it slowly and it has to engage in a whole set of hypocrisies, like we can both pump gas and get to carbon neutrality. The levels of hypocrisy about this in Canada in the democratic system are sickening but it is the necessary hypocrisy of a society trying to hold itself together in the middle of the biggest energy transition in the history of the country.”
In the live question-and-answer session, Ignatieff said he appreciates the enthusiasm of young people, like 17-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who lobby for action on climate change at any cost. But Ignatieff said he’s worried about a corrosive effect that might have on liberal democracies.
There’s “some sense (from young people) that normal democratic politics can’t deal with this problem,” he said.
“We need (Greta), but there’s a sense in which she argues that climate change is something that has to stop politics, when in fact climate change is precisely the thing in which you need more politics,” said Ignatieff.
Ignatieff said he understands why people get frustrated by the slow pace of political change, but noted that action on the environment has been happening faster in democracies than in authoritarian regimes around the world.
The former Liberal leader also surveyed the wreckage of his political career with brutal honesty and self-deprecating humour.
“Truth in advertising requires me to say… my (political) career ended in complete failure. It’s extremely important that everybody understands that, lest you think I’m a tremendous success,” said Ignatieff, at the very beginning of the talk.
Ignatieff said he found himself “extremely ill-equipped” to make the transition from academic life to politics. When he was attacked by opponents he found himself responding like a professor, arguing the point instead of employing a “ju-jitsu move” to turn defence into attack.
“I thought if I was asked a question I had to answer it. That was a surprise. I didn’t understand that simple thing, that you don’t answer the question you were asked, you answer the question you want to be asked,” he said.
MP Justin Trudeau with then-Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff in 2010.
Andre Forget/Postmedia/File
He also said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau excels at this kind of political theatre.
“It’s a performance my successor, the prime minister of Canada, fully inhabits in his role. I say that in genuine praise. He is a politician from the moment he gets up to the moment he goes to sleep,” said Ignatieff. “I’ve never seen him off-stage, but that’s what you have to be. That’s a tremendous psychic strain. Nobody actually wants to be an actor 24/7 but you have to be.”
The philosopher Isaiah Berlin once marvelled at the quality possessed by great statesmen that was lacking in people with a more theoretical type of genius.
Albert Einstein, despite his brilliance, couldn’t read a room the way Winston Churchill could. There were countless people better-read than Otto Von Bismarck, but something intangible made him the man who unified Germany.
Ignatieff, who enjoyed a decade-long friendship with Berlin and wrote a book about him, said he had no choice but to conclude he lacked that quality that Berlin wrote about.
“When you’ve seen the great ones do that, and I’ve seen a few do that, it’s just an astounding ability. Which to be sure, I did not have. Or I wouldn’t be here,” he said.
New Brunswick voters have elected a Liberal majority government, tossing out the incumbent Progressive Conservatives after six years in power and handing the reins to the first woman ever to lead the province. Liberal Leader Susan Holt spent much of the campaign rolling out proposed fixes for a health-care system racked by a doctor shortage, overcrowded emergency rooms and long wait-times. She promised to open 30 community health clinics across the province by 2028. (Oct. 22, 2024)
Susan Holt has made history in New Brunswick by becoming the first woman to serve as the leader of the province’s Liberal Party, a significant milestone in the province’s political landscape. Holt’s leadership victory signals a new era of representation, gender equality, and change in the region, which has long been dominated by male politicians.
Holt’s journey to the top has been one of perseverance and dedication. Before entering politics, she built a distinguished career in the private sector, where she held numerous leadership positions. Her experience in business development and public policy has equipped her with the skills needed to navigate the complex world of politics.
In a province where women have historically been underrepresented in politics, Holt’s election represents a watershed moment. Women’s involvement in leadership roles has been steadily increasing nationwide, but New Brunswick, like many parts of Canada, has seen slower progress in achieving gender parity. Holt’s rise to the top of the Liberal Party not only shatters a glass ceiling but also serves as an inspiration for future generations of women aiming for political leadership.
As the leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Party, Holt has laid out a vision of inclusivity and progress. Her policies focus on economic development, healthcare reform, environmental sustainability, and addressing social issues that have plagued the province. She has also emphasized the importance of transparent governance and creating opportunities for underrepresented communities, making her platform both modern and forward-thinking.
Holt’s leadership arrives at a time when many voters are calling for change, especially in the face of challenges like economic uncertainty and the need for healthcare improvements. She aims to bring fresh ideas to tackle these issues while ensuring that all citizens, regardless of their background, have a voice in government decisions.
Susan Holt joins the ranks of other trailblazing women across Canada who have led provincial parties and governments. Women like former Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Ontario’s Kathleen Wynne have paved the way, and now Holt is contributing to this growing legacy of female political leadership in Canada.
Her achievement highlights not only the growing number of women entering politics but also the demand for leaders who can bring diverse perspectives to the table. In a field often dominated by entrenched traditions, Holt’s election is a step toward a more inclusive and representative political landscape in New Brunswick.
Holt’s leadership signals a broader shift in Canadian politics, where more women and diverse voices are gaining prominence. For young women across the country, her rise serves as a powerful reminder that leadership roles are within reach, even in traditionally male-dominated spheres.
With her election, Susan Holt has proven that perseverance, skill, and a vision for change can break even the toughest barriers. Her leadership will not only reshape New Brunswick’s political future but also inspire others across Canada to pursue leadership positions and continue to challenge the status quo.
NDP Leader Carla Beck has two planned campaign events today, starting the day with an availability in Moose Jaw and then later this evening attending an event in the capital with the Regina Medical Staff Association.
Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe, meanwhile, will speak in Prince Albert at the start of Voting Week in the province.
Saskatchewan residents can vote for five days starting today in the lead-up to next week’s provincial election, although polls won’t be open Sunday.
The NDP and the Saskatchewan Party are urging voters to cast their ballots early.
Voters can find their polling stations on their information cards or by visiting the Elections Saskatchewan website.
Chief electoral officer Michael Boda says there are about 810,000 registered voters in Saskatchewan.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
