Is Pandemic Unity Between Ottawa And The Provinces Starting To Slip? (Analysis)
OTTAWA — Has the blame game started?
Canada’s pandemic response has, until now, mostly been defined by a collegiality between different levels of government. The sparring that existed a year ago, when Ontario Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford’s unpopularity found him guest-starring in the federal Liberals’ election attack ads, has been replaced with beaming smiles and kind words from one leader to another.
Just last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Ontario premier were full of praise for one another. During a joint press conference, where each announced a $295-million commitment for Ford Motor Company’s Oakville plant to help keep 5,000 jobs in Canada, the prime minister noted his close working relationship with the premiers, contrasting it with the situation in the United States.
“In Canada, we are extremely lucky to have different orders of government, whether it is Premier Ford, [Quebec] Premier [François] Legault, or other premiers across the country who have all worked well together, and with the federal government, to be there to support Canadians and not bring overly political elements into our response,” Trudeau said.
Ford, whose pandemic press conferences focus on his empathy, has seen his personal popularly — and that of his party — skyrocket. Last week, he bluntly noted that a “big chunk” of people who had voted for him had also voted for the prime minister, and he went on to say how much he appreciated his relationship with Trudeau, as well as with deputy prime minister Chyrstia Freeland, whom he applauded “for doing such a great job.”
Fast forward a week, though, and the federal foundation appears to have cracks.
Perhaps, it’s owing to public opinion polls that show support for the premiers slipping as Canadians become increasingly concerned about the coronavirus.
With the second wave of COVID-19 hitting most provinces, many premiers have grappled with frustrated residents waiting in long lines for...
