Interest in
politics has never been so high, but respect for politicians has never
been so low. Why. Many say the lack of leadership risks undermining the
future of this country. Why is that? Is there a lack of political
leaders who have the “fire in the belly” or are there other factors that
stop capable people from inspiring the electorate and future generations
of voters? I asked Patrick Gossage, chairman of Media Profile in
Toronto, and former press secretary to prime minister Pierre Trudeau,
these questions.
Do you
believe there’s a leadership problem in this country?
“I share with a lot of people who care about politics, care
about the way the country, the province, and even the city is led, the
most discouraging situation in the country, in the province and, to some
extent, even in the city we live in, in which there is a vacuum, not
just of leadership, but also a vacuum of ideas. There is a vacuum of
people who would like to take chances to do the right thing, even if it
doesn’t square with what allegedly talented advisers, or pollsters are
telling them. It’s very discouraging and I feel that Canadians feel an
alienation from their leaders.”
No
exceptions?
“Well, the exception in that, which almost proves the rule, is John
Tory. At least he is claiming to do something he feels is right, and
sticking to it, even though it probably might make him lose the
election. There are two or three others who can get two or three major
principles that can guide them in their political life together and even
state them. McGuinty, obviously, believes deeply in the importance of
improving the education system, but this is not coming out as an
absolute core belief.” What’s the cause of this vacuum?"
Is it
possible that we don’t have such Canadians any longer?
“Partly, I think that among Canadians— and their leaders reflect
that—there are some feelings that all the great battles have been won.
What is the great battle for Canada, a small country, besides the United
States, and so on? Nobody has found a hill it’s worth dying on. For
example, Trudeau found his Charter of Rights and brought back the
Constitution. Mulroney wanted to bring Quebec into the Constitution and
he died on that hill. Making Canada a leader in green policies is not
the same kind of thing. I don’t think that people believe we can be an
environmental leader. If that’s the next hill, nobody is willing to die
on it anyway; not even the leaders who allegedly are leaders in that
[area], not even the NDP or Stéphane Dion.”
Why?
“I don’t know. It’s complicated.”
What about
Afghanistan?
“Well, this almost became a great battle, but there is a theory in the
art of politics now that you should avoid [dealing with] possible big
issues. There is an absolute fear of going too far out on the limb of a
big issue because you divide the electorate and you’re liable to lose.
Since winning is everything, people don’t take chances. The ability to
take risks by politicians is sadly, sadly diminished. The big risk was
to bring in medicare, the Constitution, and Mulroney took a big risk on
Meech Lake and lost. These are the great moments in politics and we have
no more great moments.”
Do you think
the new media and the inability of politicians to control it has
increased to a fear of taking major risks?
“I believe that there is something to be said for that. They are afraid
to stick their necks out because the media are ready chop off their
heads if you stick it out too far. There is some to that. But the media
are like anybody else. If there is a great cause they will get on to it.
Media were amazing when it came to constitutional reforms. It is a
difficult subject and they helped Trudeau to sell that. Meech Lake was
different because it was a little too controversial.”
Where are the
great causes today?
“Well, we thought the cities could become the great cause but we know
what happened. Paul Martin come close to making cities the great cause
for the federal government, very gutsy, but slid back into the slime.”
Is it because, as somebody said, national governments are too big for
small things and too small for big things? “That too. I believe that the
political culture has—the science of politics or, the alleged science of
politics—has overtaken the stomach and the guts of politics. The
polling, the experts, the image consultants— I hate to say that because
I’m sometimes one—they listen far too much to them. We hear about Dion,
we’ve heard about Martin. There are people who are telling the leaders,
‘Don’t do this, be careful, oh God, not that.’ I’m sure that John Tory
has been told by his adviser, ‘John don’t go there,’ and he did anyway
because he believes in it.”
You were very
close to Pierre Trudeau. Do you believe that if he were alive today, he
would have done something different?
"He would have taken a different approach? “Well, he was trying to
inspire the media to do their best. He was prepared to look at quite
complicated issues and was ready to explain them in detail. He was a lot
more patient with the media than people give him credit for.”
Last
question: what kind of advice would you give to the federal leaders if
you were their director of communications? Let’s start with the Prime
Minister Stephen Harper.
“There is room for people with beliefs in politics and the more deeply
they believe in the importance of an issue, the more powerful they are.
Unfortunately, we are not allowed to find out, because of Harper’s
people, what he actually believes in. I believe they should let Harper
be Harper. I don’t know. I knew him a bit a few years ago. I found him
intelligent and a smart guy. People want to know their politicians and
they don’t want them cocooned around with everything so well-prepared
and not exposed to any challenge. I would let him out of the box. As for
Dion, I would sit down with him and find out what he really cares about
and help him to talk about it in simple language. On the other end, I
believe that Jack Layton should be de-slicked a little bit. Jack is
Jack. There is the whole package there that it would be difficult to
change. He is an interesting guy, but people think of him as a car
salesman. That is an image problem that has to be addressed.”
