The American Political Virus Spreads North

 

"There's a sort of copying of behavior… There's an aggressive, in-your-face kind of political activism that's taken hold." 

Steven Weldon, director of the Centre for the Study of Public Opinion and Representation at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, on rising copycat political threats in Canada based on trends in the United States

To some, the viral video of an angry citizen excoriating Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland as she was waiting for an elevator in a government building in the Province of Alberta, profanity-laced accusations of treason, or the pelting of PM Justin Trudeau with gravel by anti-vaxxers, are just folks trying to get media attention and create viral videos. To others, the fine line between loud and in-your-face protestors and the risk of physical assault is being crossed.

The August 31st BBC.com (per writer Bernd Debusmann) addressed the issue: “Among those to have experienced these threats first-hand is Catherine McKenna, who served as a minister in Mr Trudeau's cabinet between 2015 and 2021… Ms McKenna said that the footage of Ms Freeland being accosted in Alberta was ‘all too familiar’ for her after dealing with years of online threats and verbal abuse, which she said often took a distinctly misogynistic tone… ‘Quite frankly, it was terrifying,’ she said. ‘This is what happens, and it's very dangerous.’… ‘Every single day I'm concerned about that… That's what we all worry about."

“In June, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino - who has himself faced death threats - announced that Canadian parliamentarians will be given mobile alarms after several politicians publicly criticised the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for not adequately addressing their security concerns… Audrey Champoux, the press secretary for Mr Mendicino, said that authorities are taking threats ‘very seriously’ and continuing to explore ‘other options’ to help keep members of parliament safe… ‘This is not a partisan issue, but rather a matter of public safety that goes to the security of our democracy,’ she said.” It is a partisan issue in the U.S., however.

Americans have this image of polite Canadians treading lightly on the feelings of others. But then, they probably have never been to a professional ice hockey game. The old joke, especially told about minor league players, is “I went to a fight, and a hockey game broke out.” But in normal, day-to-day interaction, there is (was?) a civility in Canada that seems to be missing these days in the United States. Many Americans believe that Canada lacks the conflict-laden diversity that typifies so many regions south of the border, but the truth is that Toronto is the most ethnically diverse city in North America. However, once silent Canadian conspiracy theorists are beginning to change that “nice guy” image.

Many in Canada believe many of those who had kept their extreme views private witnessed the explosion of once quiet bigots in the United States online, at right wing rallies, openly embracing fringe conspiracy theories, all legitimized by Donald Trump and his reconfigured Republican Party. This seems to have given them a green light to mirror that behavior in Canada as well. Indeed, Steven Weldon, quoted above, said that “he believes the rise in harassment of politicians is - at least partly - the result of activists in Canada ‘learning’ from the highly divisive politics of the US… Some officials are ringing alarm bells warning that worse - maybe even dangerous - incidents are yet to come and are calling for better security for politicians...

“Officials and legislators alike have said publicly that the threat level against politicians has risen over the last several years, while political discourse has become increasingly uncivil and polarised, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.” BBC.com The sight of American anti-vaxxers on the CBC nightly news seemed to inspire Canadians with those same minority views, even as Canada’s COVID vaccination rates quickly exceeded those in the US. There are parallels between Canada’s midwestern provinces, particularly Alberta and Manitoba, and those centrally located American states that are also heavily agricultural and oil/gas producers. It is not surprising, then, that there are also similar political and religious vectors between those regions.

We’ve seen the spread of illiberalism in Europe (and Europe adjacent), even within NATO allies. Hungary and Turkey, as poignant examples, have moved severely toward right wing populism, and the rise of that movement in France has marked recent elections there as well. Canada had been proudly touting its liberal roots for years, particularly its national healthcare system, as a stark contrast to the White Christian Nationalism envelopment the GOP here. But that was then…

I’m Peter Dekom, and we are probably going to learn the hard way that “You don’t know what you got till it’s gone…”