Brown-John: When it’s time for political leaders to say goodbye

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By: Lloyd Brown-John

‘Time to Say Goodbye’ is an English version of Andrea Bocelli’s lovely song ‘Con te partirò’ sung with Sarah Brightman. It is a touching piece of music often even sung at funerals.

I was reminded of that song whilst enjoying Newfoundland steak and eggs the morning I learned that one of Newfoundland’s most outstanding current Liberal politicians, Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Labour and Forgotten Seniors, was retiring. He could be the first of more to come.

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“Could this be another of those fleeing rodents from a sinking ship?” I mused. Could Seamus have sensed that his leader’s prime ministership days are numbered?

As I enjoyed my thick slice of Newfoundland steak purchased at Schinkels’ Meat Market in Essex I pondered the message O’Regan and other Liberal MPs have sent leader Justin Trudeau. Perhaps Trudeau might take heed of Bocelli & Brightman’s tune — time to depart, retire, say farewell, arrivederci, au revoir, auf wiedersehen, do widzenia, or even alavida as a reminder of his visit to India.

Justin, like U.S. President Joe Biden — it’s time to seek retirement and juicy pension.

In politics, occasions emerge when the public simply tires of your presence. Just because you hold the title of prime minister or president does not assuage public concerns that you may have long passed your best-before date. The public in an age of social media and shallow thoughts largely seems incapable of tolerating many politicians beyond their first facial wrinkles and vanishing natural hair colour.

There can be exceptions now and then, otherwise how to explain the persistence of Donald Trump, now an icon of old age?

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But the rapidity of political turnover in the U.S. may very well herald the beginning of the next and essential generational change in politics.

Granted, Justin Trudeau is a youthful age 52, but you may recall he sported a grey beard during COVID. Burdens of office and premature aging perhaps. No matter his success, and even his Gen X status, it is probably time for him to step aside in favour of another willing to sacrifice themselves on the cutting board of history.

Looking it up, according to generational guidelines, I fall into the ‘Silent Generation’ classification. Gadzooks! I refuse silence when it comes to politicians in this or almost any other country.

The United States may offer a modernization of political thinking if enough Americans have the sense to elect Kamala Harris as their first female president. Get rid of a dodgy old Republican wind passer and replace him with an intelligent woman.

And to Justin Trudeau, I urge his departure. Nothing personal, but many of us Silent Generation types might welcome a female prime minister. For Liberals that could be a challenge despite an opportunity to avoid the dilemma facing many Canadians at the next federal election — choosing between the lesser of two or even three ‘evils.’

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I receive numerous queries along the lines of “How am I going to vote?” I don’t want Trudeau, can’t stand Conservative Leader Pierre Poilivere, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has ceased to be interesting.

So how do I vote? Federal Liberals have a paucity of incumbent quality replacement candidates for Trudeau. If I had my druthers I would hope for a female capable of becoming an iconic Canadian prime minister.

So who is available?

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland might seem obvious. Regrettably, she has a sort of ‘cutesie’ persona when delivering serious public finance statements that tends to diminish credibility.

Current Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly is a possibility. Her difficulty is that in efforts to seek a conciliatory stance for Canada in the barbarous Israel-Hamas war she’s managed to alienate both sides within Canada.

Finally, Treasury Board President Anita Anand is working up her French language and has traction in the Toronto region, but little across the rest of Canada.

Canadians choral singing ‘Con te partirò’ might help rid us of three unwanted party leaders. But then, what are the choices?

Lloyd Brown-John is a University of Windsor professor emeritus of political science and director of Canterbury ElderCollege. He can be reached at lbj@uwindsor.ca.

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