Well, I have to admit it. I got beaten up pretty badly last week for saying a few nice things about Ontario Premier Doug Ford. To a degree, I expected that. There are always two sides to every story and when you go against the grain of mass media coverage, when you express the minority view, you are bound to get a negative reaction.
That’s okay, but what struck me was the vitriol that accompanied many of the comments, some a personal attack on the author, for daring to defend Ford, others that were so antagonistic they could not be posted. One good friend of mine wrote to me privately, “You certainly have a masochistic streak Mr. Mackenzie. I just read your blog on Ford and the deluge of attacks that you expected.” My friend is right. I did expect the pushback, but I didn’t expect the raw anger.
Whatever happened to that old maxim that one can disagree without being disagreeable? Speaking frankly, I fear it is toast and that is not only a shame, but it is also worrisome because the world, certainly our part of it, is changing. Anger, in my view, is a weapon that transcends respectful dialogue, prohibits reasonable compromise, and promotes support for my way or the highway type of politics, regardless of the facts.
It was spawned I believe, in the United States, where anger appears to have become the weapon of choice. Everything seems upside down. The rule of law is mocked in favour of a cult-like approach to change. The truth doesn’t matter, facts don’t matter, morality doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that you get your way and damn the torpedoes.
Last week Donald Trump was indicted for the fourth time. Some would think that would be enough to do him in, but the opposite appears to be true. His mug shot has become viral. Donald Trump didn’t want to avoid it, he coveted it. It was Trump at his marketing best, defiant, determined, and unrepentant. He has stoked more anger in his base, the cult he has created is stronger and he has raised millions upon millions of more dollars. He knew precisely what he was doing and what he wanted to accomplish.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should say here that I knew Donald Trump. My former firm and I worked with him for the best part of a year on a project that was dear to him. I have been at his headquarters in New York, and I have been on his plane.
I saw both sides of Trump’s personality and generally got along with him. Mostly though, I saw his determination to win at all costs, sometimes having the opposite effect, and his ruthless reaction when things did not go his way. He was never wrong. It was never his fault. The Trump brand was sacrosanct.
It is that brand and that determination that led Donald Trump to seek the Presidency of the United States and it is that brand that will ensure he will never give up no matter the cost. Stoking anger and discontent are his weapons of choice, and he knows how to use them.
Donald Trump uses those weapons, along with his personal skill of manipulation and false information, to rally the discontented. He has effectively created a cult in the United States, anchored in anger and hate, that follows him blindly and unconditionally. He has done this so effectively, and aided by what many believe to be poor performance results by Joe Biden, that he may well be the next President of the United States. If that happens, it will prove that stoking anger works, but it is a chilling thought.
John Kasich, a former State Governor and a former Republican presidential candidate, put his finger on the problem when he said, “Just because I have opposed Trump from the beginning and want justice and accountability for his actions, doesn’t mean I hate him. We need a revival to pull Americans out of their silo and quell the anger that is turning into hatred for those we disagree with.”
Kasich may be correct about that, but any reading of current polls would suggest the odds are against him. Anger and hatred appear to be winning the day in the United States.
Indeed, there are frightening signs that things could go in the opposite direction with airheads like Marjorie Taylor, Ted Cruz and Sarah Palin almost promoting insurrection. Palin, a former Governor and also a vice presidential nominee, recently pushed the idea of a Civil War by encouraging Trump supporters to, “get angry, rise up, and take our country back.”
And so, the question must be asked, are anger and hatred also winning the day in Canada? I would say not yet. But is there a spillover of that creeping into our society from our neighbour to the south? To that, I would say yes. You see it at all three levels of government and yes, you see it in Muskoka.
Sadly, in Canada these days, I note that the tone of our dialogue is sharper, the adamance in many of our positions is stronger and our ability to see and to listen to alternate points of view, to disagree without being disagreeable, is rapidly diminishing.
I also note with interest that federal polling in Canada currently has the Conservatives ahead of the governing Liberals by ten points and I wonder why. I am sure that many will have an answer to that. Certainly, many Canadians believe that it is time for Justin Trudeau to exit the stage as Prime Minister. But I am not sure it is only that. An undercurrent of anger has been growing in this country for some time, during the Harper years, the Justin Trudeau years, and certainly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people have taken one hit after another. They are tired and frustrated; a perfect formula for anger.
In my view, all three political parties at the federal level, the Liberals, the Conservatives, and the New Democrats exasperate this by promoting anger as a political tool. Too many Canadians are starving for hope and for a bright light at the end of the tunnel. Why can’t we give them one?
The answer to me is not extremism on either the left or the right, but rather a middle ground, a place where for decades, both Liberals and Conservatives, albeit, with different points of view, have felt at home. A place where balance can be seen, progress made, and hope attained without anger or hatred.
A fairy tale ending? Perhaps. But certainly, worth fighting for.
Hugh Mackenzie
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler.
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Margaret Tupper says
Mr. Mackenzie,
Your voice is louder than most. You are a part owner of Doppler so you can control the narrative. I read your previous column on Donald Trump and was tempted to reply with a lengthy rebuttal but changed my mind because people like you do not want to be confused with facts. Suitcases full of “mailed in ballots” that arrived in the middle of the night when the crooks needed more numbers are irrelevant to those who despise President Trump. These recent charges against Trump are not legitimate prosecutions, they are political persecutions. The USA and the Democrats have become a banana republic. Essentially these recent charges are a game changer to remove the spotlight from the stunning corruption in the Biden family and the Biden administration.
I challenge the Doppler to post this.
– – – – – – – – –
Economy
The pre-covid economy led by the Trump administration provided ground breaking results, never seen before from previous administrations by the USA and from the world. Solely due to the action of this administration the United States of America made its mark it intends on remaining the top position in the global economy.
Every social class significantly improved on an economic front with 7 million new jobs created. Middle class family income increased $6000 per annum. This is an increase of five times in comparison the previous Obama administration. Unemployment levels reached a 50 year low with unemployment down to 3.5 percent in conjunction with 40 months of month on month job growth.
Unemployment reached an all-time low across America during the Trump administration. African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Native American, Veterans of our great nation saw the greatest rise in employment numbers in American history. This includes workers with disabilities and special needs also attaining higher levels of employment opportunities. This is a testament to the Trump administration in terms of economic success. Considering such a broad and diverse range of social classes, equal opportunity and prosperity was delivered. Perhaps the most significant feature of success demonstrated, in light of the pre-covid economy and the most significant statistic is that over 7 million Americans were lifted off food stamps.
Criticism of the Trump Administration in the nature of the equality gap growing under the Trump era is debunked as white house government data at the time indicated a 5 percent rise African American and Hispanic Americans home ownership. Under the Trump administration higher living standards were achieved, with the bottom half of American households enjoying a 40 percent increase in net wealth.
– – – – – – –
It is a well known fact that the media is very biased and lean strongly to the left. This is an opportunity for the Doppler to show some semblance of balance.
Margaret Tupper
John Whitty says
“The truth doesn’t matter, facts don’t matter, morality doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that you get your way and damn the torpedoes.”
That exactly describes District Council and some District staff.
A number of ruses and a plethora of misinformation presented by staff was used to fool councillors into making a massive mistake.
Dangerous misinformation was presented over and over by airport staff.
There is a saying. Repeat a lie often enough…
To be fair, not all councillors were fooled.
Just the majority.
It is documented that Transport Canada, the Transportation Safety Board, Environment Canada, Cessna (aircraft manufacturer), airline and local pilots have all thoroughly debunked the misinformation from airport staff.
Why resort to fiction to fool gullible District councillors?
1. Because it works. At least in Muskoka.
2. Because the facts do not support closing a runway when there is plenty of room for development beside instead of on top of it.
Those were the facts from a report council asked the latest consultant for and then totally ignored. Same facts as an earlier consultant concluded. Same facts an earlier enlightened council used to put a moratorium on development on top of a runway.
Is the District going to close roads now because businesses wants to build on top instead of beside them?
Even when it was crystal clear in July last year that staff had misled council for years!! regarding an alternate runway that never was viable most of council still blindly rubber stamped whatever staff was pushing this year.
Fish have longer memories.
It never was viable because the neighbours won’t allow their trees to be cut down. Nothing to do with cost as staff presented. Due diligence was not done before presenting the alternate as an option to council.
Incompetence.
Facts and truth have been presented to councillors multiple times by multiple competent people for multiple years!! in the form of delegations, emails, powerpoints and even in-flight videos.
District response? Crickets.
They prefer bunk from the unqualified and dangerously incompetent snake oil salesmen.
The truth doesn’t matter, facts don’t matter.
Are all District decisions based on bunk?
All of the above is documented here.
https://johnwhitty3.wordpress.com/2023/07/11/snake-oil-salesmen-selling-to-the-gullible/
John Whitty says
“The truth doesn’t matter, facts don’t matter, morality doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that you get your way and damn the torpedoes.”
That exactly describes the District and Muskoka airport management.
A number of ruses and a plethora of misinformation presented by staff was used to fool councillors into making a massive mistake.
Dangerous misinformation was presented over and over by airport staff.
There is a saying. Repeat a lie often enough…
To be fair, not all councillors were fooled.
Just the majority.
It is documented that Transport Canada, the Transportation Safety Board, Environment Canada, Cessna (aircraft manufacturer), airline and local pilots have all thoroughly debunked the misinformation from airport staff.
Why resort to fiction to fool District councillors?
1. Because it works. At least in Muskoka.
2. Because the facts do not support closing a runway when there is plenty of room for development beside instead of on top of it.
Even when it was crystal clear in July last year that staff had misled council for years!! regarding an alternate runway that never was viable, most of council still blindly rubber stamped whatever staff was pushing this year.
Is the District going to start closing roads because a business prefers to build on top of them instead of beside them?
Are all District decisions based on bunk?
All of the above is documented here.
https://johnwhitty3.wordpress.com/2023/07/11/snake-oil-salesmen-selling-to-the-gullible/