Paul's Internet Landfill/ 2018/ Liberals Don't Listen

Liberals Don't Listen

Oh look. First-past-the-post handed the Ontario Liberals a crushing defeat, and now they come crawling back to the electorate with a "Listening Project" that is hearing grievances from defeated candidates and promising to change and improve the party.

Whatever. When the Federal Liberals got crushed under Ignatieff, they went through a "We're Listening!" phase too. They allowed everybody to join the party without a membership fee. They went through elaborate processes of determining priorities and letting people vote on them. And then they coronated Justin Trudeau, and all that listening evaporated. Trudeau used that market research to say the right things, but the Liberals weren't listening. The Liberals do what's best for the Liberals, and if that conflicts with climate targets or indigenous rights or the wishes of the people participating in their little exercise, so what? They will do their little consultations with us, and then do whatever is in their own interests.

The provincial Liberals are exactly the same. They are in third place now, so they are conducting market research. They will learn what sound bites resonate with us, and they will fool us again.

That is not to say I am pleased with the government that replaced Wynne's Liberals, or even that I hated every single thing Wynne did. But after being betrayed again and again and again, I have learned to stop trusting them. From time to time I might hold my nose and vote for them, but being the least worst option is no longer enough to earn my support.