Opinion by Murray Mandryk - POSTMEDIA
Driving in wedges as means of embarrassing your political enemy hasn't been working well for politicians that have done so.© Provided by Leader Post
The crucial pandemic lesson for politicians should be that it’s dangerous to play footsie with radical elements.
Whether they all have learned that lesson remains questionable. Some still think it’s beneficial to legitimize radicals if those elements seem to be mostly attempting to embarrass your political enemy.
But it should be obvious by now that the tool you are using to drive political wedges — even as you make public pronouncements calling for the need to mend divisions — is likely a sharp and dangerous one.
A recent Postmedia article by Matthew Black revealed top-secret Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) documents (acquired through an access to information request) show grievances with government led to conspiracy theories and the extremist narratives that we saw played out
According to the documents Postmedia obtained, ideologically motivated violent extremists (IMVE) largely opposing public health restrictions of the past two years created an “anti-government threat environment.”
“Grievances and conspiracy theories related to the COVID-19 pandemic continue to drive ideologically motivated violent extremist narratives in Canada and justifications for political violence,” according to Black’s reporting of a November 2021 report.
“The Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre (ITAC) assesses that restrictions and public health measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines continue to be the most significant drivers of IMVE threats.”
The CSIS concern did prove prophetic, coming shortly before the January “Freedom Convoy” disruptions in Ottawa and the international border blockades at places like Coutts, Alta., that have all led to criminal charges.
Citing threats to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and former Alberta municipal affairs minister Tracy Allard, the CSIS report noted all politicians were now at risk.
“We assess that some anti-authority and anti-government IMVE adherents in Canada will attempt to use public health restrictions to incite others to violence,” the report said.
The report said it could not assess the magnitude of the threat, but it expressed concern that the December-January World Junior Hockey Championships in Edmonton might be targeted.
It also cited “low sophistication” potential attacks of “ministers and Opposition leaders who are local, identifiable and in a known location with minimal security.”
“Extremist actors in Canada have both the intent and the capability to undertake a violent attack,” the report said.
It’s unknown how much knowledge most politicians had of CSIS’s concern at the time, but we know that Premier Scott Moe was also getting threats . This was when Saskatchewan still had masking rules and vaccine restrictions resulting in daily protests at the legislature.
Such were these protests that the Saskatchewan Party government deemed it necessary to pass a bill to bring in a more costly, beefed-up security detail at the legislature.
Given this threat level outlined by CSIS, why would any politician do anything that offered sanctuary to radicals perceived to be a threat to them and everyone else?
Yet that appears to be exactly what Moe did.
Moe wrote an open letter in support of the Freedom Convoy, legitimizing it as an issue solely created by Trudeau’s COVID-19 trucking policies. He even opposed the use of the federal Emergencies Act , giving the unlawful protests more credence.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, former premier Brad Wall, according to court documents, was offering one of the convoy’s leaders strategic advice for the protest.
Of course, Moe would argue he did warn protesters to exercise their free speech rights within the law, but most would observe he was never adamant with those truckers who acted illegally when their ire was aimed at Trudeau.
In fact, condemnation from Moe on the growing anti-vaccine movement ended in September 2021.
The problem, however, is legitimizing this radical opposition did eventually backfire.
A few months after Moe’s hour-long conversation with Unified Grassroots organizer Nadine Ness who opposes vaccine measures, he saw the rise of Nadine Wilson’s new Saskatchewan United Party.
As well, the Saskatchewan legislature had to put up its own barricades to keep safe from truckers’ protests.
It appears the growing radicalization CSIS predicted wasn’t an effective political tool for anyone.
Mandryk is the political columnist for the Regina Leader-Post and the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.
Driving in wedges as means of embarrassing your political enemy hasn't been working well for politicians that have done so.© Provided by Leader Post
The crucial pandemic lesson for politicians should be that it’s dangerous to play footsie with radical elements.
Whether they all have learned that lesson remains questionable. Some still think it’s beneficial to legitimize radicals if those elements seem to be mostly attempting to embarrass your political enemy.
But it should be obvious by now that the tool you are using to drive political wedges — even as you make public pronouncements calling for the need to mend divisions — is likely a sharp and dangerous one.
A recent Postmedia article by Matthew Black revealed top-secret Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) documents (acquired through an access to information request) show grievances with government led to conspiracy theories and the extremist narratives that we saw played out
According to the documents Postmedia obtained, ideologically motivated violent extremists (IMVE) largely opposing public health restrictions of the past two years created an “anti-government threat environment.”
“Grievances and conspiracy theories related to the COVID-19 pandemic continue to drive ideologically motivated violent extremist narratives in Canada and justifications for political violence,” according to Black’s reporting of a November 2021 report.
“The Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre (ITAC) assesses that restrictions and public health measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines continue to be the most significant drivers of IMVE threats.”
The CSIS concern did prove prophetic, coming shortly before the January “Freedom Convoy” disruptions in Ottawa and the international border blockades at places like Coutts, Alta., that have all led to criminal charges.
Citing threats to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and former Alberta municipal affairs minister Tracy Allard, the CSIS report noted all politicians were now at risk.
“We assess that some anti-authority and anti-government IMVE adherents in Canada will attempt to use public health restrictions to incite others to violence,” the report said.
The report said it could not assess the magnitude of the threat, but it expressed concern that the December-January World Junior Hockey Championships in Edmonton might be targeted.
It also cited “low sophistication” potential attacks of “ministers and Opposition leaders who are local, identifiable and in a known location with minimal security.”
“Extremist actors in Canada have both the intent and the capability to undertake a violent attack,” the report said.
It’s unknown how much knowledge most politicians had of CSIS’s concern at the time, but we know that Premier Scott Moe was also getting threats . This was when Saskatchewan still had masking rules and vaccine restrictions resulting in daily protests at the legislature.
Such were these protests that the Saskatchewan Party government deemed it necessary to pass a bill to bring in a more costly, beefed-up security detail at the legislature.
Given this threat level outlined by CSIS, why would any politician do anything that offered sanctuary to radicals perceived to be a threat to them and everyone else?
Yet that appears to be exactly what Moe did.
Moe wrote an open letter in support of the Freedom Convoy, legitimizing it as an issue solely created by Trudeau’s COVID-19 trucking policies. He even opposed the use of the federal Emergencies Act , giving the unlawful protests more credence.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, former premier Brad Wall, according to court documents, was offering one of the convoy’s leaders strategic advice for the protest.
Of course, Moe would argue he did warn protesters to exercise their free speech rights within the law, but most would observe he was never adamant with those truckers who acted illegally when their ire was aimed at Trudeau.
In fact, condemnation from Moe on the growing anti-vaccine movement ended in September 2021.
The problem, however, is legitimizing this radical opposition did eventually backfire.
A few months after Moe’s hour-long conversation with Unified Grassroots organizer Nadine Ness who opposes vaccine measures, he saw the rise of Nadine Wilson’s new Saskatchewan United Party.
As well, the Saskatchewan legislature had to put up its own barricades to keep safe from truckers’ protests.
It appears the growing radicalization CSIS predicted wasn’t an effective political tool for anyone.
Mandryk is the political columnist for the Regina Leader-Post and the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.
Murray Mandryk: Trudeau's resistance is back, maybe stronger than ever
Opinion by Murray Mandryk - Oct 8
Whether Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is in lockstep with new Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will say a lot about how nasty Canadian politics is about to become.© Provided by Leader Post
Political watchers will recall the November 2018 Maclean’s magazine cover entitled “The Resistance” that pictured five prominent conservative political leaders who were vehemently opposed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon pricing.
Wearing blue suits and Photoshopped together, the magazine featured former Conservative Party of Canada leader Andrew Scheer, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, former Alberta premier Jason Kenney, former Manitoba premier Brian Pallister and then relatively new Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe sternly staring into the camera.
“Former” became the operative word.
The magazine cover was roundly mocked with cartoon parodies, with opponents on social media replacing the right-wing politicians with characters from The Simpsons and King of the Hill. Some took special delight in reposting the cover on social media with an X through those leaders who met their political demise.
But as it stands right now, conservative leaders so mercilessly mocked just a few years ago are back and are surely more hardcore right-wing than they were before.
The new “Resistance” was solidified Thursday night with Danielle Smith winning Alberta’s United Conservative Party (UCP) race to replace Kenney.
Smith’s story alone represents one of one of biggest political comebacks in quite some time.
Many swept Smith’s career in the political ash bin after she abandoned Alberta’s Wildrose Party to join then-Alberta Progressive Conservative premier Jim Prentice’s government. However, she used right-wing talk radio to reinvent herself, winning back those former Wildrose supporters who thought she had abandoned them.
Hardened by abundant anti-Trudeau sentiments mixed with their own opposition to COVID-19 vaccinations and public health measures, they become Smith’s base of support.
And Alberta’s premier-designate is now rewarding them with policies that extend well beyond former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper’s one-time calls for a firewall around Alberta or talk of taking over pensions and provincial policing that Moe has also advocated.
Smith’s is a frontal assault on not only Trudeau policy, but also on the structure of the nation, promising Alberta Sovereignty Act legislation that could see the province ignore federal laws or environmental policies. Kenney said it would make Alberta a “laughing stock” and would be unconstitutional.
Yet Smith won anyway and further served notice Thursday to Alberta Health Services to follow her direction to recruit nurses and doctors or risk being replaced.
So Alberta now has a premier who said during her leadership bid that cancer is “completely within your control” until Stage 4, dictating to health professionals that they simply must follow her orders or else.
It was almost too on the nose for the new order of “The Resistance” now led by CPC Leader Pierre Poilivere. Poilivere has recently been accused of embedding misogynist hashtags in his political YouTube videos that observers note have been rather sympathetic to “young men living in their parents’ basement.”
Are these the foot soldiers in the new “Resistance”?
What is clear is resistance to Trudeau is alive and well. The question is: Where does it go from here?
Perhaps one way to to find out is to watch Moe. Will he blindly follow Smith? Or will he heed the warnings of Kenney and others who’ve been steering clear of Smith? (Interestingly, former premier Brad Wall supported his former communication aide Rebecca Schultz in her UCP leadership bid.)
The first clue may be the Saskatchewan speech from the throne later this month. If Moe mimics Smith’s policies, expect this province to join in a wild political ride.
While Moe isn’t exactly known for nuanced politics, he likely recognizes the dangers of Smith’s hardline approach. Others already have.
While Smith led from start to finish in the UCP race, that it took her six ballots to get from 40 per cent support to 50 per cent support suggests she makes many Alberta conservatives nervous.
Moreover, Moe must understand that those who oppose Trudeau make for a big tent, and that it’s unnecessary to all crowd into the far-right corner.
That’s one sure way of collapsing the whole thing.
Mandryk is the political columnist for the Regina Leader-Post and the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.
Opinion by Murray Mandryk - Oct 8
Whether Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is in lockstep with new Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will say a lot about how nasty Canadian politics is about to become.© Provided by Leader Post
Political watchers will recall the November 2018 Maclean’s magazine cover entitled “The Resistance” that pictured five prominent conservative political leaders who were vehemently opposed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon pricing.
Wearing blue suits and Photoshopped together, the magazine featured former Conservative Party of Canada leader Andrew Scheer, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, former Alberta premier Jason Kenney, former Manitoba premier Brian Pallister and then relatively new Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe sternly staring into the camera.
“Former” became the operative word.
The magazine cover was roundly mocked with cartoon parodies, with opponents on social media replacing the right-wing politicians with characters from The Simpsons and King of the Hill. Some took special delight in reposting the cover on social media with an X through those leaders who met their political demise.
But as it stands right now, conservative leaders so mercilessly mocked just a few years ago are back and are surely more hardcore right-wing than they were before.
The new “Resistance” was solidified Thursday night with Danielle Smith winning Alberta’s United Conservative Party (UCP) race to replace Kenney.
Smith’s story alone represents one of one of biggest political comebacks in quite some time.
Many swept Smith’s career in the political ash bin after she abandoned Alberta’s Wildrose Party to join then-Alberta Progressive Conservative premier Jim Prentice’s government. However, she used right-wing talk radio to reinvent herself, winning back those former Wildrose supporters who thought she had abandoned them.
Hardened by abundant anti-Trudeau sentiments mixed with their own opposition to COVID-19 vaccinations and public health measures, they become Smith’s base of support.
And Alberta’s premier-designate is now rewarding them with policies that extend well beyond former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper’s one-time calls for a firewall around Alberta or talk of taking over pensions and provincial policing that Moe has also advocated.
Smith’s is a frontal assault on not only Trudeau policy, but also on the structure of the nation, promising Alberta Sovereignty Act legislation that could see the province ignore federal laws or environmental policies. Kenney said it would make Alberta a “laughing stock” and would be unconstitutional.
Yet Smith won anyway and further served notice Thursday to Alberta Health Services to follow her direction to recruit nurses and doctors or risk being replaced.
So Alberta now has a premier who said during her leadership bid that cancer is “completely within your control” until Stage 4, dictating to health professionals that they simply must follow her orders or else.
It was almost too on the nose for the new order of “The Resistance” now led by CPC Leader Pierre Poilivere. Poilivere has recently been accused of embedding misogynist hashtags in his political YouTube videos that observers note have been rather sympathetic to “young men living in their parents’ basement.”
Are these the foot soldiers in the new “Resistance”?
What is clear is resistance to Trudeau is alive and well. The question is: Where does it go from here?
Perhaps one way to to find out is to watch Moe. Will he blindly follow Smith? Or will he heed the warnings of Kenney and others who’ve been steering clear of Smith? (Interestingly, former premier Brad Wall supported his former communication aide Rebecca Schultz in her UCP leadership bid.)
The first clue may be the Saskatchewan speech from the throne later this month. If Moe mimics Smith’s policies, expect this province to join in a wild political ride.
While Moe isn’t exactly known for nuanced politics, he likely recognizes the dangers of Smith’s hardline approach. Others already have.
While Smith led from start to finish in the UCP race, that it took her six ballots to get from 40 per cent support to 50 per cent support suggests she makes many Alberta conservatives nervous.
Moreover, Moe must understand that those who oppose Trudeau make for a big tent, and that it’s unnecessary to all crowd into the far-right corner.
That’s one sure way of collapsing the whole thing.
Mandryk is the political columnist for the Regina Leader-Post and the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.
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