War Cabinets, Turbans and Common Ground

Finally, we’re seeing some movement in the polls. The Liberals and Conservatives have dropped slightly but decisively since the beginning of the campaign. They sit at around 32% each of the national vote. A majority government now seems out of reach for either of them. Jagmeet Singh’s popularity is surging especially among young voters. The NDP is hovering around 20% nationally. It is on track to keep most of its seats outside of Québec and to win new ones. The Greens are holding steady, just below 10% in most polls. This means they won’t make the seat gains predicted at the start. On the other hand, the Bloc is back in the race, ready to stop the Liberals or the Conservatives from getting a majority.

The case for and against strategic voting will dominate this last week.

Assuming no one can get a majority, the composition of the House of Commons becomes decisive. The first question is whether the Conservatives will be able to form an alliance with anyone. The Bloc is the only prospective ally, but that seems highly unlikely. The Conservative policies are just too conservative for the Bloc, plus the numbers simply don’t add up. The combination of CPC seats and BQ seats won’t likely make up the 170 needed to give them a majority.

The Liberals, NDP, Greens, and Bloc could enter into some form of working arrangement (trading support for movement on key policies), or a coalition (with some or all of the parties being represented in cabinet). Remember Stéphane Dion and Jack Layton’s agreement to form a coalition government with Bloc support in 2008? It took a revolt in the Liberal caucus and a change in leadership from Dion to Ignatieff for the deal to be scuppered.

Since the start of this election, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Green Party of Canada. The Greens peaked early but it’s been good to hear Elizabeth May’s voice. Her proposal for a “war cabinet” -- to bring the strength and wisdom of all parties to bear on the climate crisis – caught my attention in November 2018. Whatever the outcome on October 21, I think this idea deserves serious attention.

I remember when the Green Party first appeared on the Canadian political scene in the early 1980s. Their appeal then, as it is now, was a foundational belief in conservation. This belief inspires frugality and simplicity – values at the core of sustainability and at the heart of most faith traditions.

Like Elizabeth May, I’m an Anglican. We come from different political backgrounds, but we share the conviction that the earth is a tightly woven web of organic connections. As modern Christians, we think of ourselves as part of this web. The planet’s stewards not its masters. After surfacing core values, I’ve found common ground with many people from different political, religious and philosophical backgrounds. Perhaps this will be the unexpected gift of this curious election: an all-party commitment to cooperation for climate justice.

But unlike Elizabeth May, I am a New Democrat. We believe in challenging inequality and reining in uncontrolled capitalism to pull up the root causes of environmental degradation. In the Sikh tradition, I understand a turban reminds the wearer of their obligation to actively work against inequality. It’s a courageous statement of love for neighbour and a sign of commitment to an egalitarian society that resonates deeply with my faith tradition. Singh has explained that the practice of wearing the turban every day keeps his purpose – to advance equality and justice – in front of him at all times. It’s an open invitation to others to work with him to this end.

There is, after all, a profound yearning in Canada as elsewhere for real and substantial change coupled with skepticism of inauthentic politicians who talk in sound bites. Voters are increasingly attracted to depth and integrity, not personas shaped by focus groups. They reject staged, scripted and highly managed experiences mediated by the traditional press. Instead, they engage political figures directly through social media.

In this election, Singh has demonstrated sensitivity to the distinction between religious beliefs and spiritual character. He has stayed focused on the moral or ethical principles that people may share instead of the more narrow dogmas used to justify a political position. It is the steady drum beat of “love and courage” that’s calling Canadians to see politics differently, to imagine a higher standard of public debate, one based on fundamental decency and mutual respect – not indifference, hatred or racism.

A growing number of young people are not simply wishing or pining for a different story; they’re choosing to vote for one. After the blackface controversy and the English language debate, 39% of voters between the ages of 18 and 34 indicated their intention to vote NDP – up from 22% in mid-September and ahead of the Liberals who had 39% of the intended youth vote back then.

Young people say they want their politics and society to be better, to be fairer, more connected to nature, to settle their differences not by violence but by dialogue. They want to insert a collective morality into politics – a clear alternative to the fear and loathing of the Trump brand. This is Jagmeet Singh’s generation.

These are hopeful signs of change. Surprisingly, this election is going deeper into the country's core narratives than others in recent memory. It is bringing to the surface essential questions about who we are and who we want to be. And for this reason, it is turning into a race of much greater consequence than any of us expected it would be.