Canadians are justly outraged by our Prime Minister’s repeated pattern of accepting no-cost vacations from billionaire family friends. To do so once was once too many: a poor if not pompous failure of judgment. A punch in the gut by a pugilist either unaware or insensitive to the most basic of Canadian values. To commit the offence repeatedly suggests an overconfident, even contemptuous, disregard of rules that common people lacking influence and power, and only those people, are expected to abide.
Trudeau is not the only Canadian politician snubbing the court of public opinion. Consider the lapses of judgment and due diligence by the Speakers of the House or the scandals haunting Ontario’s government. Are we to believe that apologies and resignations erase the leopards’ spots, that rubbing shoulders or accepting gifts from rich or influential friends cannot curry favour? Would we be suspicious of misconduct if Big Pharma gave similar gifts to members of the Canadian Medical Association? Fortunately, you needn’t worry. Physicians, teachers, lawyers, engineers, and countless other professions adhere to clearly stated standards of ethical and professional conduct. Yes, there are other routes to influence, and bad apples might taint the fruit, but they are few, they are routinely caught, and they are either censured or removed. Professionals know they must not only obey the rules of proper conduct, they must also avoid the appearance of impropriety and enforce the rules when broken.
