Why the Cons Failed to make the Khadr Story Work for Them

You might think that the grubby Con Andrew Scheer was smart enough to realize that his ugly Khadr Show was going nowhere.

And given it and himself the hook.

But no, even though two polls have shown that it hasn't put the slightest dent in Justin Trudeau's popularity. 

And even though the Cons are in danger of being branded as traitors for trash talking our country in the United States.

Scheer is vowing to continue his monstrous campaign.

Justin Trudeau claims to represent all Canadians’ beliefs in his secret Omar Khadr payout. Does he speak for you? https://t.co/CfGxayeZae pic.twitter.com/q8UJ6cFuoG

— Andrew Scheer (@AndrewScheer) July 27, 2017

By making the Khadr settlement seem like something dirty or shameful. 

And announcing that he intends to make it, believe it or not, the number one issue in Canada when parliament returns.

Justin Trudeau had a choice. He could have fought this in court. No court decision is ever a given, no matter how many Liberals pretend otherwise. And when the House of Commons returns in the fall, our Conservative caucus’s first task will be to hold Justin Trudeau accountable for his choice.

So my question to you is simple. Do you agree with Trudeau’s secret payout to Omar Khadr? Does Trudeau speak for you?

Only to get an earful from ordinary Canadians...





And if Scheer ignores them because they're too progressive, and he's a right-wing religious fanatic...



Maybe he could ask Stephen Harper's former flak Andrew MacDougall to explain why the Cons failed to turn the Khadr settlement into a political win.  

By pounding Khadr with everything they have, the Tories are once again back to preaching to their converted, rather than trying to present a more measured face to those who might be with them on Khadr if it weren’t for the massive—and rather nasty—sledgehammer being swung about.

Whether Conservatives like it or not, they are perceived as the nasty party. They must always be mindful that the people they need to persuade to once again form government aren’t likely to be persuaded by anger or incivility. Especially against a smiling, earnest opponent like Trudeau. Harpooning the Prime Minister on Khadr isn’t going to change the outcome.

Because MacDougall is right, the Cons are still the nasty party or the Harper party...



The party of lowlife bigots and bullies.

And about as attractive to most Canadians as Donald Trump's deplorables. 

And if Scheer STILL doesn't get it, maybe he should read the latest Ipsos poll, which suggests like the two polls before it, that the Khadr controversy has not only has failed to put a dent in Justin Trudeau's popularity.

It suggests that Trudeau's popularity is growing. 



Though Canadians remain divided over the Liberal government’s decision to settle its suit with Omar Khadr, it hasn’t negatively affected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s overall ratings – in fact, his approval ratings are up four percentage points since April, according to an Ipsos poll.

Which is exactly what happened when Stephen Harper went after him like a rabid hyena, only to boost Trudeau's fortunes, and end up looking like a monster...



And will almost certainly happen again, if the monstrous Scheer continues to act like Harper Two.

And the Cons remain what Michael Coren calls, the party of permanent outrage. 

Kellie Leitch may have won minimal support for her bid to become federal leader but the very fact that her repugnant notions were taken seriously says a great deal. So does the 15 per cent support given to arch social conservatives at the leadership conference, and the elevation of Andrew Scheer — who, in spite of audacious denials, is very much a product of the religious Right.

The nasty party, the party of bigots, led by a secret religious extremist who acts more like an American than a Canadian...



Canadian conservatism was once a natural heir to the country’s history, a spoke of the wheel that was a Canadian politics based on commonality, shared virtues and progress. All that has changed. 

The new right-wing alliance in Alberta, the angry party in Ottawa, the various media voices denying the self-evident truths of climate change, the whispered but audible mentions of Trump and how his success can be emulated — it’s all very conservative these days, but not very Canadian.

And yes, enough is enough.

It's time for progressives to unite and prepare to fight the real enemy instead of themselves.

The next election will be a contest between Canadian values and the values of Trump.

And if our country is to survive, failure is not an option...