Combo of social media restrictions and Liberal call for China election meddling could end Canadians’ faith in democracy

First, the Liberals are blatantly rigging the playing field in their favour ahead of the election.

By introducing “rules”—that led to both Google and Twitter banning political ads in Canada, they are restricting the ability of their opponents to get their message out. In particular, the Conservatives – who have dramatically out fundraised the Liberals—are unable to reach as many people as they could otherwise.

Yet, at the very same time, the Liberals are free to fly around the country and campaign on the taxpayers dime, so long as they go through the motions of pretending it’s a “government announcement.”

This is an obvious and in-your-face attempt by the Liberals to suppress debate and criticism, in order to boost their chances of winning the election. In most countries, that would be called anti-democratic and authoritarian.

Second, the recent push by former Liberal Ambassador to China John McCallum, encouraging the Communist State to interfere in our elections to keep the Liberals in power, is among the most disturbing things we’ve seen in a very long time.

Not only does it raise massive doubts about everything McCallum did during his ambassadorship—and the judgement of the Liberals for appointing him—but the tepid response of the Liberals following McCallum’s comments is chilling.

Chrystia Freeland made some perfunctory comments, but Justin Trudeau has failed to strongly denounce McCallum, and it’s not a stretch to think the Liberals would probably welcome some “help” from China.

After all, Justin Trudeau and the Liberals have repeatedly demonized Conservatives as being such a big “threat” to Canada, and people have noticed how Trudeau is far tougher on Canadian Conservatives than he is towards Communist China.

And that’s the big problem.

By rigging the playing field, by demonizing Canadian Conservatives, and by responding weakly to a top Liberal calling for China to interfere in our elections, the Liberals risk eviscerating the faith that Canadians may have once had in our electoral system.

That would make the already-massive divisions in our country far worse, raising the level of anger, distrust, and partisanship to levels we haven’t seen before. And many would doubt the legitimacy of what happens on Election Day, as a rigged playing field and possible foreign election interference from a ruthless government like China would lead many to see the election as hopelessly flawed and untrustworthy.

In 2015, the Liberals campaigned on “positive politics” and “sunny ways.” In 2019, they may leave Canada as a more angry and divided nation than ever before.