Justin Trudeau used his willingness to at least consider challenging Quebec’s discriminatory Bill 21 to good effect in last night’s English language debate. He boasted that he was the only person on the stage willing to consider intervening to challenge that law. He’s gone from extreme hesitation and a refusal to do anything during last summer’s court challenge; to “not for the moment”, to “leaving the door open”; and back to, “we’ll see”. But he was indeed the only one open to doing anything.
It took some temerity to lecture Jagmeet Singh on protecting minority religious rights but Singh exposed his left flank on the issue by refusing to even consider intervening if he were head of government. His answer always brings it back to himself: I’m a walking advertisement for opposing Bill 21, he pleads.
But that simply begs the issue. The question isn’t about him.
It’s about the 17-year-old Sikh boy about to graduate from high school in Montreal’s West Island. He knows that none of the thousands of jobs in the Quebec Police forces is open to him because he wears a turban. If he does his Police Tech course at John Abbott College next year, he’ll have to go to another province or join the RCMP. It’s called discrimination.
I almost feel apologetic to English-language viewers that in the one debate that Trudeau accepted to do in English, so much time was taken up by a Quebec issue. It is, at the same time, one that goes to the principles and characters of all of the leaders on stage for that debate.
After that one strong moment, Trudeau appeared once again hesitant in the after debate scrums, apparently hedging his bets. His advisers having, in all likelihood, told him he’d gone too far on the stage, he started walking it back.
So too with Singh. After listening to his own Quebec advisers who reminded him of the fate that befell the NDP in 2015 when it steadfastly defended a woman’s right to wear the niqab in a citizenship ceremony, he refused to say he’d help those targeted by Bill 21.
He too had a change of heart, or of advice, and he muddied the waters during his own after debate scrum. He was now saying that perhaps once the case gets to the Supreme Court he’d intervene.
The Quebec journalists present didn’t need a roadmap to see the turn he’d taken and were on him right away. The lack of forethought and preparation showed and the usually sharp and unflappable Singh was flailing.
Trudeau will pay a price in the coming days and Thursday’s final French debate will be very revealing. Will Singh clarify on the side of active intervention in defence of rights? Will Trudeau make the same boast on that stage that he made last night?
These are very real issues affecting lives of Canadians who want to know if anyone is willing to stand up for them. They deserve support and clarity. So far Elizabeth May, Maxime Bernier, Andrew Scheer and of course Yves-Francois Blanchet are letting them know they’re on their own.
Which of Trudeau or Singh will shine through? This issue will have an effect in Quebec but, at least as importantly, it resonates with millions of Canadians in all provinces who know discrimination first hand, even when it’s not legislated. That could well determine the result on Oct. 21.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
