The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge - Your Turn -- What Is A Politician? - Encore

Episode Date: December 31, 2024

An encore of the Ranter was all too willing to get into it again with Trump, this time and his Canada obsession. 

Hello again, Peter Mansbridge here. It's time for another holiday edition, encore episode of The Bridge. For this, we go to December 12th, where you answered the question, What is a politician? Enjoy. And hello there. Thursdays are always fun because it's your turn, and that means your answers to the question. And this week, the question of the week is, what is a politician? Where did we come up with that question? Well, last week, you remember, our question was, what is a journalist? Well, there were a lot of great answers on that, but one of them came from Jane Fitzwilliam in Toronto,

who said, I've got a great question. I'd love to hear it. What is a politician? Well, Jane, that's all you have to do. Your wish is granted. And this week, listeners from across the country were answering that question. What is a politician? So let's get right at it. Let's get to some of those answers. And I'll tell you, I'll preface this with telling you, there's clearly disillusion in the land around this question. Most of the letters we got were, well, they were kind of depressing. Almost a universal expression that politicians could play an important,

even a vital role in our country, but they're letting us down. So here we go. First letter comes from Linnea Vandenberge in Quispernisus, New Brunswick. It's outside of St. John. I'm sure I got that pronounced wrong, but it's New Brunswick, just outside St. John. Recently, at the age of 42, I've become more interested in politics.

I'm trying to better educate myself in that realm, as well as come to terms with where we are as a society. I actually started writing an essay last week, Answer What is a Politician? I knew I had to send along the outline that I had written so far. This is the edited version, by the way, because it was really long what Linnea sent in. First and foremost, you should be respectful. When someone feels respected, they will be much more likely to truly listen to what you're saying. True. Admit when you're wrong or don't know the answer. Many politicians have a gift of speaking in circles while never really

answering the actual question that was asked or answering it in a non-truthful way. I find it exhausting to even listen to it. The open to the idea that someone else might have a better idea, even if that person is from another party. No more fueling the hatred and misinformation, pinning different groups of people against each other. Help bring us together rather than divide us. Tell the truth, period. Daryl Johansson from North Battleford, Saskatchewan, a regular writer. In my opinion, a politician should be an enlightened, forward-thinking, public servant that works collaboratively, when appropriate, to progressively do things that promote better social and economic conditions for the majority of the people in their jurisdiction.

However, what I see now are egotistic, narcissistic, partisan puppets that are only interested in photo ops, personal advancement, and partisan politics to gain prestige, power, and wealth. The general public is something to get taxes from and to lie to as they spin their narrative. Ron Biggs from Edmonton. I believe a politician is a person who is a constructive steward of a political agenda that isn't a party to performative political antics. Someone who has the trust of the people while making the necessary strides to make life better for all his or her constituents. Trevor Barry in Saanich, B.C.

A person can be both a politician and not a politician, within the same day or indeed across one's life. And a person can toggle back and forth. A politician does the following, runs for office and solicits votes. Losing a bid for a seat does not negate that one was a politician, but also an elected politician with no interest in running again may cease to be a politician prior to their term ending. Notice also that there is no requirement for leadership quality, policy expertise, or human decency,

which is increasingly disappointing. Sherry Hertz in Toronto. A politician in today's world has a particular skill set. They must be able to read the mood of their constituents and give back messaging that resonates with the people's concerns. A good politician can develop and maintain a strong relationship with voters, resulting in long terms in office. However, this is not the only thing that we need our government representatives to do. The ability to get elected is not enough. We also need strong, visionary

leaders who have the capacity to navigate through the good times and the bad, with a view to the long-term consequences, not just short-term goals like the next election. We need people who can make the tough decisions and implement policies that will keep our society strong and beneficial for all. Let's look to find and support people who have all of these skills, not just politicians, but political leaders to guide us into the future. Rick Bogas in Toronto. The first thing I thought of immediately when I heard the question is that perhaps the real question to consider in these difficult times is

what should a politician be? Today, unfortunately, we see self-serving politicians who stoke divisiveness and seek to blame each other for the state of the world instead of collaborating to make society better for those who really need help. I'm not suggesting there's no room for disagreement between parties, but civility seems to have disappeared completely. With social media and the rise of disinformation, it just feels like the amplification of anger we are experiencing today demands a higher degree of compassion and empathy from our elected officials. Callum Arnold in Ottawa.

For once, I've got an answer the instant I heard the question, as this is something that I've thought about at length. As a page on Parliament Hill in 2019-2020, I got the opportunity to see firsthand in the halls of our government what makes a good politician. I was also fortunate enough to be a page at Queen's Park in Toronto in 2013, which informs my perspective. There's no job title that reads politician, and somehow we as Canadians tend to forget that. Our elected representatives

are just that, chosen by the electorate to be our advocates and to work together toward common goals. Where interests clash and opposing priorities compete, the politician is the person who finds that which ties the various sides together. They are the one who is able to be a fulcrum that can achieve a balance, where oftentimes no party in a dispute is pleased, but all parties are at least heard and contribute to the chosen solution. In our age of polarization and hostility, that task has become increasingly difficult. In my time as a page, I took note that many of the most notable and famous members of Parliament were not necessarily the best politicians. They might receive the most news coverage,

but much of the real politics as an art of compromise quietly took place when all the cameras were off, and it was just the problems that face our nation and the people we've chosen to address them. Harold Gold in Calgary. The question this week is a common topic for me around the proverbial water cooler at work. I view politicians as basically elected rulers. As far back as we can see in human civilization, we've had rulers in some way. In recent times, we have, in democratic countries at least, the ability to elect our rulers, but rulers they are. They make the laws, limit or grant our rights and freedoms,

and basically tell us how to think and to live our lives. When asked, a politician may say they ran to make a difference in the lives of their fellow citizens, or to help corporations become more profitable, or even to bring religious beliefs into law. The end result is to wield power over the citizens they represent. Sean Bennett in Saskatoon. To me, a politician hasn't changed over the years because they're just reflections of the society's culture. If politicians have changed over the years,

then it's only because the culture has changed. Politics is always downstream from culture. A politician is a flawed, self-interested human like the rest of us. We can't hope all our leaders... Oh, wait a minute. I'm missing something here. This letter came from Newstead, Ontario.

And I'll have to check to see who sent it, but I've got it cropped in this page here. I will find it and I will let you know. But from Newstead, Ontario, a politician is a flawed, self-interested human like the rest of us.

We can't hope all our leaders will be the next Abraham Lincoln or Winston Churchill. Therefore, we need to develop political systems in which what's in the best interest of the politician is also in the best interest of the Canadian citizenry. The fundamental difference between a thriving democracy and a corrupt autocracy is how many people the leader has to please to remain in power. Is it a handful of oligarchs or the majority of average voters? That's why we as Canadian voters ought to avoid tribalism, keep our politicians' feet to the fire, and always remember they work for us. Andrew Zettel, in Waterloo, Ontario. A politician is a connector. Some are better than others, and some do it professionally,

but fundamentally a politician is a bridge between people in their community. A pastor, a charismatic bartender, a family doctor, the person who seems to volunteer at every local charity, all may assume the role of politician. A young friend of mine is involved with the Kinsmen, the Knights of Columbus, the Hospice Foundation, and the Legion, in addition to serving as a municipal councillor and as president of the local riding association. You'll catch him at every church, supper, community concert,

or charity golf tournament. Talk about a hard-working connector, a true politician. Marilyn Wallace in Fanny Bay, British Columbia. I'm a staunch liberal supporter, and yet I turn to the words of Aaron O'Toole for some insight into this question. He used his final speech as the Conservative Party leader to define the roles of a politician, and I quote, as members of Parliament, we must always put the country first. We must lead and not just follow. We must strive to inspire and be careful not to incite. We must debate with insightful reason and not just tweet out of frustration. I admit to being regularly annoyed with politicians. This is Marilyn Wallace from Fannie Mae speaking now.

I admit to being regularly annoyed with politicians. There's often much to find fault with, but can we always blame them? They are a mirror of the society they work within. It's up to the rest of us to avoid cynical disengagement. We must demand that our leaders manage the governing of our country with the ideals that make a strong democratic country thrive. Jim Sellers in Edmonton. A politician is above all a public servant. They should represent their constituents and work on their behalf,

regardless of party, ideology, and personal agenda. In other words, the needs of their constituents, the people who have trusted them with their votes and their tax dollars, are their boss, not the party leader or their donors. If not a written requirement, it should be respected that they live in their riding and are one of the people they represent, not a career politician who only lives in Ottawa, and not a party insider who works for the benefit of the leader. Perhaps we should have term limits, so no one becomes too ensconced in the Ottawa bubble,

but are forced to return to a real life and real jobs after one or two terms. Glenn McLaughlin in Regina. Simply put, a politician is someone who's elected to the government well elected to parliament and not all in government this can cover a wide range from the leader to the demagogue the leader is the politician who is in service for the people. History gives us examples. Lincoln, Churchill, FDR. The demagogue is a politician in service for themselves. History is littered with examples of this type. The present day has plenty of examples, no names mentioned. The hallmark of a leader is that they tell the electorate what they need to hear. The demagogue, on the other hand, rises to power by telling the people what they want to hear.

Be wary of the politician who only tells you what you want to hear. Lisa Spallack in Penticton, BC. People who put their name forward for public service are to be commended. It can be a very thankless job, and I do believe most people enter into politics with very good intentions. Lisa, I agree with you there. I totally agree with that point. They have to bring their ideas and efforts to the task of making their city, province, or country a better place. However, the machine that is our political system soon teaches them that the short window of

opportunity to enact any worthwhile change before they have to shift into campaign mode to keep their jobs. This drives ridiculous policy decisions like sending checks with our tax dollars back to voters. I'm not sure how to fix this problem. I just know it infuriates me. Derek Dillabo in Ottawa. In spite of much evidence to the contrary, I still believe politics to be a virtuous profession. I believe many men and women become involved in politics believing they can help better society. It can be very difficult with long hours. Politics also offers people privileges, including power and influence over policies that directly affect all our lives. A true politician studies the issues from all sides and follows science and facts.

A true politician works for all his or her constituents regardless of party affiliation. A true politician is proud of what he accomplishes for you and not how politics benefits him. A true politician knows that issues are complicated and sometimes tough decisions must be made in spite of political consequences. A true politician does not offer simple slogans and cliches to complex issues. A true politician

understands their limitations and seeks guidance and advice from others. No person or politician is perfect, but a true politician respects the electorate and his colleagues enough to show dignity, honesty, and the quality of character we deserve and expect. Frank Wang in Surrey, B.C. In my opinion, a politician is someone who engages in the act of politicking in order to fulfill their own interests. They exist to get elected and re-elected. A politician may table policies that are good for the people, not out of the goodness of their heart, but out of the need to woo votes and secure their job. On the flip side, a statesman is someone who truly cares about a set of grand objectives that serves the people and the country. Oftentimes, a statesman will make choices that could jeopardize their chances

of re-election. When our nation was reminiscing about the legacy of Brian Mulroney earlier this year, we could see an example of a statesman. Claude Dufour, who's writing from Budapest, Hungary, on holidays in Europe. Others before me have deduced the current state of some of our current politicians' communication strategies, reducing the politicians themselves to soundbites, in my opinion. Phrases continue to be repeated. Axe the tax.

Canada's broken. Make America great again. They're eating the cats and dogs. Buck a beer. Research shows that if you repeat something enough and the message is presented consistently in the same format. People tend to believe it, even if it's a blatant lie. Okay, we're going to take a break. We're going to take a break for the random ranter,

because he's part of our Thursdays, with his take on sometimes things we haven't even thought about, and sometimes things that are in the news of the day. Well, it's that latter idea that the Random Ranter is on about today. So are you ready? Here we go. Here he is, The Random Ranter. Are Donald Trump's comments about Canada being the 51st state a joke, or are they some kind of Sudetenland fantasy of his?

I think it's both. Remember, Donald Trump is all about making America great again. And really, what's greater than Canada? It's sad and scary to say, but the world we live in is getting darker by the day. Once upon a time, there was a leader of the free world, but that position has been abdicated, and in its place place we have Trump, a thin-skinned, orange-tinged narcissist of a man, whose grasp of history seems wholly based on Fox News and not ever finishing a book. American decline on the world stage is fostering a new world order that's shaking itself out in real time, And with it, the specter of imperialism is rising.

There's no doubt Donald Trump fancies himself a strongman, and all his strongman contemporaries are in expansion mode. Erdogan is in Syria, Putin is in Ukraine, and Xi Jinping is looming over Taiwan. It's not beyond reason that Trump wants in on some action too. His worldview is not about global politics. It's about controlling your backyard. He's not interested in Ukraine because that's Russia's backyard.

Well, we're Trump's backyard, so it's not much of a reach to think that there's a very thin line in his head between his joke and his intentions. It's a bit like when he said he could shoot somebody in the middle of Fifth Avenue and not lose any voters. People debated whether that one was a joke too, but I don't hear anybody laughing now. Look, I don't think Trump is going to actually try and annex Canada. He might fantasize about it, but in reality, he'll be more than happy to have us just bend our knee to him so he can concentrate on the country at the top of his list, Mexico. Now, for all of you out there willing to pasha away the controversy over Trump's Canada comments, what do you think about Mexico? I mean, if you think it's implausible to think he'd violate our sovereignty, can you say the same thing about Mexico's?

Because when he talked about SEAL teams and airstrikes on Mexican drug cartels, no one laughed that off as a joke. Look, Trump already has us right where he wants us. And when have we ever said no to the United States? Our eggs are already in their basket. But the problem is, we're dealing with someone who's not smart enough to grasp the reality of our trading relationship. He's so caught up on the fact that there's a trade deficit between our countries that he can't see how that's actually a good thing for him. I mean, in the most simplistic terms possible, Canada provides raw materials to the United States,

which they turn into finished goods. We literally fuel their economy. So by the very nature of the relationship, the better their economy does, the more raw materials they'll need. It's not that complicated, but I can't imagine explaining that to him because all he'd say is, our number is bigger than his number. And you know, with Trump, size really does matter. And Canada is huge. Now, we can talk about this until we're blue in the face, but the reality is, most Americans don't get it. Especially the ones with red hats.

They think we're just like them. And that's scary to me. Because you know who Russians think we're just like them? Ukrainians. You know, this topic is a good one. It may well have been a joke the first night Trump dropped it at that Mar-a-Lago dinner. But he keeps dropping it now. A little differently each time.

And I tend to agree with the ranter here. And, you know, there's a lot of weeks where I don't agree with the ranter. And there's a lot of weeks where you don't agree with the ranter. But for the most part, writers agree with the ranter. So it would be interesting to see what they say about this one. But I've had a couple of people write to me ever since I have mentioned this week that I better start taking this guy seriously because I don't think he's joking. I don't know what the end game is, but I don't think it's a joke.

But I've had a number of people write to me and say, Oh, geez, come on, get over it. I don't think it's a joke. But I've had a number of people write to me and say, oh, geez, come on, get over it. I don't know. I don't like people making fun of us. You know? Good-natured fun on occasion, no problem. But this is consistent now over a number of times over a couple of weeks.

I think there's more to it than some are suggesting. Anyway, so I thank the renter. Before we take our break, I've got to clean up a little leftover from earlier in your today, where I had cropped the name of the writer from Newstead, Ontario. I should have known this because he's fairly regular. Ken Peloshock is his name. He was the letter writer from Newstead, Ontario. And Ken, thanks for that. And sorry to have missed that at the, at the, at the initial time. Now there's lots more letters and we're going to get to them right after this.

And welcome back. You're listening to Good Talk, the Thursday episode, which is your turn. And the question this week came from one of our listeners, is what is a politician? You know, in our changing world and our concerns about politics and the way politics is played in our country, just like concerns

surrounding the media and the way journalism is today, was the basis of last week's question of what is a journalist. It was suggested that this week we go, what is a politician? And as I said at the top of the program, there's a lot of disillusionment out there. People believe that politicians are important, but they're not overly impressed with the way politicians, in a general way, are operating these days. Let me, you know, we're halfway through here, so I can give you kind of my take. I have always believed, like one of the letter writers today,

that in their heart, when politicians get into politics, they do so for all the right reasons. They honestly believe they can make our lives better. And they choose the paths they want to choose and the parties they want to run for, based often on the policies of that party. But they believe that what they're doing is good for the country and good for the people in the country. And running for politics isn't easy.

You know, I've mentioned this before. I mean, most people who enter politics lose, right? First of all, they've got to run for the nomination of a party, and it could be three, four, five, six people running for that nomination. And they stand before their fellow citizens, and they talk about what they believe in, and only one of them can win that nomination. Everybody else loses.

Then the winner goes to the actual election where they're running against people from other parties. And once again, they stand before the citizens of their riding, often in open forum and debate, and talk about what they believe in. And all their past comes to the fore. The good, the bad, the ugly. Everybody in their circle of influence,

and mainly their family, is affected by this. And what happens? Most of them lose. Only one of them can win. Then that winner goes, in the case of federal politics, heads off to Ottawa. Sometimes that means leaving a good job behind. Sometimes it means leaving the family behind.

And that comes at tremendous cost. And they end up in Ottawa chased down the halls by, you know, people like me and other journalists demanding answers to questions that often can't even be answered. So this is not an easy job. We tend to think it's easy because the pay may be not bad, and if you're in cabinet, you've got a car and a limo and a driver and all that. But it's a hard job. And if they stay focused to that original idea of trying to make life better for everybody, that would be a good thing. But there are times some of these people,

when they get to Ottawa or get to a provincial capital, in the case of provincial MPs, MPPs, MLAs, they kind of, their focus shifts. And we see in some cases these people being more concerned about their own future than about their riding's future. But I always go back to that point,

the point that I've made before, that in my career, which spans almost 60 years now, I've covered a lot of politicians at all levels, from municipal politics, provincial politics, federal politics, and I haven't met them all, the people I've covered, but I've met a lot of them. And I honestly believe they're good people from all parties, especially when they enter the ring for the first time. They believe they can make a difference and that we can all benefit from that tends to change over time, right? Okay, let me get back to your letters and your comments on your turn.

Steve Loudon in Simcoe, Norfolk County, Ontario, on the shore of Lake Erie, southeast of London. To me, a politician in 2024 is an individual whose greatest skill lies in convincing people to vote for them. In some rare cases, they have or will develop some skills in governance and legislation. Even more rarely, they might show glimmers of true leadership. Michelle Gould in Barrie, Ontario.

In my opinion, it is rare to find a politician who will put the interests of their constituents first. They are too busy keeping promises to those with the funds that assisted in getting them elected. Politicians used to be policy makers, domestically and internationally, while keeping the moral compass of the parties they represent. Now all I see is arguing, finger-pointing, lying, and outlandish promises. I see people blindly following those promises

and not holding the politicians accountable when their promises rain false. The politicians we see today are not getting their work done that will benefit the people they work for, which is us. They don't work for the PM or the president. They work for the people. And I think this is getting lost in today's political climate full of rhetoric and revenge. Gary Gould in Bowdoin, Alberta,

south of Red Deer. My hope is the individual elected to represent me listens to my concerns and takes them into consideration. Whether they can resolve my issue or have it advanced is not a problem, but never responding is unacceptable. I've had both negative and positive experiences with politicians in three levels of government. The ideal politician will work collaboratively with colleagues

for the greater good, acting with integrity and honesty. Unfortunately, today's crop seems to have lost the plot. Angelo Zaffiro in Chippewa, Ontario. That's part of Niagara Falls. A politician is a person that panders. Well, I asked for short letters and there's a short one, but to the point. Matt DeBooke in Montreal. Well, actually, he's

a Montrealer now living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Politicians are a unique group, no matter what level of government these people represent. Root word poly means many, tics meaning many blood-sucking creatures. Unfortunately, that has been the cycle for some time now. Representing the people should be the very best of what we do, unselfishly, as representatives to our people. Getting rich in the office and having inside information is wrong. This job is not a career. The ones you never heard of are the ones that have done it the right way. Bill Hertha in Thornhill, Ontario. A politician is an idealist

with good intentions who finds himself on the road to hell. There might be exceptions, but let us assume a 90 to 10 rule. Shale Paliwal in Ottawa. A politician advocates for the interests and needs of their constituents, which is a level of government, federal, provincial, or municipal. However, some politicians use their elected office to further their own personal interests. This is unscrupulous, a conflict of interest, and leads to the betrayal of trust of the voters who elected the politician to office. A prime example of an unscrupulous politician is Donald Trump.

Somehow he convinces the electorate that he's going to improve their lives, while it's obvious his true intentions are his own well-being, making money for himself, his family, and his personal corporations, or staying out of jail. Brooke Cully in Lethbridge, Alberta. A politician is a person who understands the subtle differences between compromise and consensus, and when to employ either. You might want to think about that one for a while. Don Scott in Victoria.

I write as a former politician. I was in MLA in Manitoba from 1981 to 1988, and as someone who still follows public policy domestically and internationally and participates in various associations and university lectures, I feel that the quality of people in politics has fallen significantly. Few seem to be able to do any significant public policy analysis and have the country's long-term interest at heart. Today, most elected politicians are those who could flog the most memberships in their nomination campaigns or are appointed by their leaders.

So my definition is someone who can flog the most instant memberships in a riding. That's a politician, according to somebody who was one. Most of those instant memberships will not be renewed. Many of those instant members will end up voting for another party if their candidate fails to win the nomination. So when much of our legislative bodies are comprised of people who are most successful at flogging mass memberships, why would we consider them to have much concern for anything but their re-election?

We get the democracy we deserve. Joshua Winters in Surrey, B.C. We all know that politicians are elected representatives, by the people and for the people. While that mantra should remain true, in Canada it seems that our elected officials are becoming more beholden to the voice and the will of their political party. While that is certainly nothing new, it seems MPs are increasingly being pushed into towing the party line, or silenced altogether. I just finished watching Question Period for the first time in a long time. I found it so comical how Justin Trudeau and Pierre

Polyev jab each other back and forth about which of their muzzles their MPs more. While the extent to which each party does this is not necessarily equal, the fact is they both do it. If MPs can't speak their mind, give interviews, or hold an opinion even slightly contrary to their party, then are they really representing the people? Well, I try desperately not to be cynical about politics. Our politicians, and to a much larger extent, our political parties, sure don't make that easy. René Perrault in Winnipeg. Now, René, I'm not sure if this is a poem or not.

I will try reading it. Let's see where we end up with it. What is a politician? Many have thought a bag of wind or one who has sought power for glory or personal gain. Others see a noble heart seeking to advance the public good. With fair governance and equality for all, of course not all hearts are noble, nor are they all bad. The good politician is self-assured and promotes the greater good. For all, not for just the few.

So pick a good one. It's up to you. I've got a couple more that came in. I was going to say came in late, but they weren't late, they were just under the wire. Once again, if you're late, if you're after the deadline, you're toast for that week. We have to set these rules, mainly for time and to make things work. Gareth Wilson in Bowmanville, Ontario, got in just under the wire.

A politician is an elected representative that represents the entire public interest and based on that has the ability to formulate policy for the greater good within a specific municipality, province, or territory or nation. Theoretically, in our past, these politicians appeared to play a more dignified role to interact with foreign representatives and even opposition members as the goal was policy-driven. Today, many appear more interested in attaining and maintaining power, at whatever the cost.

Dignified has been replaced with performance to appeal to blocks of the electorate. Policy debate has given way to personal attack. People like Trump have illustrated that division and rage is a winning formula, as isolating and pitting one group against another can garner success on the levers of power. Consolidating and uniting an electorate is a much more difficult proposition, far easier to divide and stimulate an emotional electoral response that will drive your base to polls. You don't need 50% of the population, you just need more of your base and less of theirs to vote. Our only hope is that the population as a whole

realizes this game, because ultimately they mirror us. If we want better, we all must turn our backs on this negative political climate, or it is doomed to repeat. One more. It's the only one who actually gave an example of what they consider to be a politician. And it came from Florence Girard in Bel Air, Manitoba. What is a politician? Short answer, Frank McKenna, a civil servant who comes in to serve the people. He or she knows what the people's needs are and gives it his or her all.

Mr. McKenna had the advantage of having no or very little opposition. He had none at all in his first term. He won every seat in New Brunswick, which is not necessarily a good thing for democracy, right? Unfortunately, this is not always the case for good civil servants, is the way Florence concludes her feelings. Listen, Frank McKenna was well-liked

by a lot of individuals from all parties. It would probably very much echo the feeling that he was a good politician. He's also a good business leader and still is. And I've got to say that I've known Frank McKenna for a long time and he's become a good friend and somebody who gives great advice. But you give great advice too, all of you, who write in at Weeksend.

Just a reminder, if you didn't hear your name or your letter read, it's not because we've got anything against you. It's just that we have X amount of time, and we have to do some filtering of these letters to make a good show. But as I said at the beginning, and I think it's clearly the case here, that there's a lot of disillusionment in the land. And that can be attributed to a number of things, including the fact we've

you know we've been in minority government now for what two terms and minority government can make the situation tense especially the longer it goes on and this one's been we're heading into the fourth year. And that tension on Parliament Hill tends to play out on the floor of the House of Commons. And I think that's part of the reason that people have become so disillusioned with MPs and politicians and politics in general. Okay, that's going to wrap it up for this day.

Thanks so much for your comments as always and thanks to the random rancher for his take on the uh the trump canada obsession that was our december 12th encore episode of the bridge