Right in the centre - Carry on and don't lose faith

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Published on Thursday, May 1, 2025

By Ken Waddell

Neepawa Banner & Press

After Monday’s federal election, there were some very tired people across Canada. The TV commentators and staff were up long past their usual bedtime and it showed. One older TV personality was almost nodding off in their chair. So was I, and I didn’t even work that hard on Monday.

The politicians and their staff and volunteers had an extremely difficult few weeks and it was obvious that everybody was tired of politics. Add to that the murder-by-vehicle in Vancouver on the weekend and Monday ended a week of death, turmoil, animosity and overall weariness.

The Liberals won the election, two leaders lost their seats and Canada is faced with possibly four more years of Liberal rule. The previous 10 have not been all that good for Canada. The Canadian voters opted for an experienced Liberal party, but by the slimmest of margins.

All this was overshadowed by the American President Donald Trump who seems determined to be heading the United States into disaster.

The theme of the Canadian election was who will be best equipped to cope with Trump when there are many other problems including pressure from China and other countries and many wars abroad. Add to that, Canada is under a drug, poverty and health care crisis that has not been experienced in the last three generations.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh lost his seat and will shortly be, but perhaps only temporarily, out of the political picture. Conservative party leader, Pierre Poilievre lost his seat and has to re-trench, find another seat and amidst all that distraction, prepare a shadow cabinet and mount an opposition to Prime Minister Carney and the Liberals.

Who Carney chooses as a cabinet will be interesting, as most of the old Trudeau cabinet is re-elected and will likely march back into their offices within a week.

I think there are some things to be learned from the past couple of months.

Canada has to first deal with drugs, crime and mental health issues and they are all intertwined in a horrible, messy web. Pierre Polievre was right in many things but was most correct on this issue.

It doesn’t matter if you are on drugs, are mad at society, have been used and abused and are suffering from mental illness, it does not give you the right to hurt or kill other people. Prevention, yes, treatment yes, even sympathy but people who are unable to control their harm-filled actions belong in custody for their own sake and for the sake of others.

Canadians have to learn how to trade both within and outside Canada. For far too long we have ridden the north-south four-lane highway. Trump thinks he can get along without us. We should do all we can to help with that theory as we explore markets both inside and outside Canada. 

Please note, I am all for electric cars as long as they are cheap, practical and without any subsidies from the taxpayers. Just remember, when you buy an EV now, we are all helping you pay for it and that is simply wrong.

In short, we all need to take a day or two of reflection and get back to work, Canadians are strong and God is stronger than us or Trump. It’s spring, the grass is green, the crops are being planted. Have faith for the future and at least, let us be wise in how we face our future.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are the writer’s personal views and are not to be taken as being the view of the newspaper staff.