Today is election day in Canada. By this evening it is likely that we will learn who will be the governing party taking on the responsibility to lead our nation.
Choices will be made and consequences rendered. But the one thing that is clear in this unclear political scene is that the consciences of Canadians are conflicted.
The Darkness of Sunny Ways
In a troubled world, many people welcomed the brightness of Justin Trudeau’s retrieval of Wilfred Laurier’s “sunny way” approach. Though lauded among celebrities, Trudeau and his circle have shown the darkness of man-made designs. It has become difficult to view the message of ‘sunny ways’ as sincere when influence peddling and strong-arm tactics against dissenters came forward. Trudeau’s effervescence still signals the wish of many world-weary Canadians. But sadly the darkness of his sunny ways has left their hopes as mere wishful thinking.
Conserving Good and Bad
Andrew Scheer, the Conservative leader offers low-key middle-class stability as his appeal. His aim is to conserve the good of sound principles for fiscal management along with a slightly more ‘sunny’ approach to public relations than his predecessor Stephen Harper. Yet for all of its attempts to conserve the good, it cannot be overlooked that Scheer will aim to conserve the bad as well. There is no intention of legislating to restrict abortions at any stage of pregnancy. Such views would be extreme even among pro-abortion groups in other countries. This is the glaringly conflicted platform which Scheer’s Conservatives offer.
Collective Anxiety
The NDP and Green parties have argued in varying degrees for more collective approaches, and environmental concerns at top of mind. Each offers their own version of the sunny ways that sad citizens are desperate for. Suspicious of big business and desiring to keep the pristineness of Canada’s beauty undeveloped, they offer a vision of protection for ideals that many wish could be achieved. Yet sadly as they offer their plans for protecting the welfare of citizens alongside the welfare of our natural environment, they really offer dreams, rather than wisdom. This mystical ‘sunny ways’ approach has been heightened with the contrasting threat of climate change judgement and the 10-20 year countdown before a planetary crisis. Voters are offered utopian dreams or collective anxiety either way.
I am the light of the world
As citizens of Canada, Christians will feel conflicted. As participants in a democracy, they have the right and responsibility to make choices. Yet their citizenship belongs to a different kingdom, even heaven itself (Phil 3:20). Our Saviour offers to us sunny ways that are true and right and undimmed. He said of himself:
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”
(John 8:12)
That is the most important ‘vote’ of all, and one to which every Canadian is urgently summoned.
