It is the end of a year. Traditionally, Press and Media look for “good news stories” to fill a seasonal gap in reportable/ interesting news. The Corriere Canadese is no exception in this regard – we try to avoid the repetitive “big fish eat little fish” theme. That is, until compelling examples of dramatic tragi – comedy sweep every sense of sanity off the table.

Unlike our cousins in the animal kingdom who are driven by instinct and routine, we are Human beings possessed of intelligence and free will, qualities sometimes interpreted [perhaps wrongly or opportunistically] as the ability to distinguish between “right and wrong”, and to act accordingly. History is littered with examples that defy that assertion. Even in the realm of The Monarch for Human Rights, whose subjects have now pointed the sharp end of their weaponry in his/her direction… “Et tu Brute”, anyone? 

That history spans the development of Civilizations across millennia and continents. My favourites are the ones with which I have greater knowledge or association: the Greco-Roman. They still describe and inspire many creative spirits in contemporary society. Treachery is a common theme.

Ho hum. The bright lights illuminating political thought in Ottawa’s partisan environment must have tampered with the filament in the bulbs which might have alerted them to “the traps everyone from the outside can see”. In other words, watch out for self-inflicted wounds.

Since the swearing-in of the new Cabinet, the day before the House of Commons adjourned for its Winter break, no less than three regional caucuses of the federal Liberal Party have met to deliberate the Party’s future (read electability) under the leadership of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The outcomes were governed by a strict observance of a time-honoured practice to “stay on message” and let “only those authorized to speak” manage the media. In some circles, this is referred to as “omerta“, not a flattering term in democracies claiming virtuous transparency.

Ontario Caucus had apparently held a meeting that suggested the PM should leave. Press reports further claimed not a single MP rose to counter that “proposal” While the Corriere was making efforts to encourage MPS to confirm or deny, without success, The Atlantic caucus, of which Minister Domenic Leblanc is a member, issued a letter (published in our pages  (Dec.30) essentially confirming the reputed outcomes of the Ontario Caucus: with this leader, we have no chance of winning the next election. Ouch.

The country’s national symbol, the beaver, must have been busy breaching its own dam. As if on cue, on Monday, The Hill Times “broke the story” that Ontario Caucus had in fact met and come to the same conclusion, with no one coming to the defense of the Leader. MP Judy Sgro was featured prominently in the narrative. Again, no Cabinet Ministers came to Trudeau’s rescue. It seems the message is “we are left to our own devices”, so “do not blame us for abandoning ship before YOU do”. Where have we seen that before?

Not to be outdone, that same day, the Chair of Quebec Caucus, of which Trudeau himself is a member, announced that the Party may cease to exist electorally if the PM does not take the direction to leave.

Ipsos, the polling company, said the Party, now at 16% among decided voters, is now firmly in fourth place. In fact, the last person standing beside the Liberal flag may be the MP Patricia Lattanzio, ironically the individual initially rejected by the PM as candidate for St. Leonard- St. Michel, in 2019, until the Corriere conducted a campaign before the election pointing to the absurdity of his stance. At this pace…

… and… Then there were none, as the novelist Agatha Christie might have said.