the Walnut Diary

These dissident Liberals should have paid attention to the historical origins of democracy before blasting their powder half-cocked. The idea of democracy emerged in the 18th century concurrently with the development of science and the invention of the pocket watch.

The opposing-spring principle was the revolutionary idea that an object could be held in place indefinitely by opposing forces such as a pair of springs. It was not a difficult jump to the assumption that an idea could find balance between a number of conflicting points of view.

Jody, Jane, this is what politics in a liberal democracy is. That partisanship which we all dislike is the concrete on which our society is built. It’s not pretty, but without it, structures lose their durability. Why do you think JT put an end to democratic reform? He wanted to end the honeymoon with voters? No. He realized that the way things were going, Canada would end up atomized politically by extreme fragmentation until the only ones able to exercise political will would be the theocrats, anti-abortionists, and animal rights groups, or a dictator emerged.

Government must attract idealists for their ideas and energy, but it is essential that it govern. Trudeau has said that no society would leave billions of dollars worth of oil in the ground, and an issue involving 9000 jobs in a province is a big deal to politicians, regardless of the messy reputation of the corporation.

Jody Wilson-Raybould had a fine run at her portrayal of Antigone, but it’s Justin Trudeau’s Creon who is still obliged to restore order for the good of society following the disruption. Jane Philpott seems to have fallen into the role of Haemon, Creon’s son and Antigone’s fiancee, who insists upon entombing himself with Antigone when Creon is forced by his role to execute her for her repeated threats to his rule.

And now the tragedy has played itself out. Canadians have been morally uplifted and edified. We are better than we were before this spectacle of wasted greatness. But now it’s time that they leave the stage, not end up a burlesque footnote to one of Canada’s most striking political dramas.