I have a slight glimmer of hope that the constant stress of the past few months and the tragic events of this week are causing a subtle shift in the way things are being done in the nation’s capital.
They did describe it as a “band-aid solution: but the federal Conservatives added their votes to help get the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit through the House last week. The legislation then received royal assent yesterday.
Meanwhile, the other federal party leaders will join Prime Minister Mark Carney as he visits Tumbler Ridge, BC today to attend a vigil for the victims of the shooting spree that ended with nine deaths in the tiny community several hours north and east of Vancouver on Tuesday.
It is heartening to see our federal leaders not only working together but gathering together as colleagues and fellow human beings to honour the victims, support the community and the country in the aftermath of this unspeakable tragedy, and simply grieve, as people.
As we continue to grapple with challenges involving trade and economic stress, and bear witness to atrocities like this week’s shooting spree in BC, we all need to come together and support each other.
It’s not a time for partisan politics, scoring points or keeping score online, or empty rhetoric and senseless statements made more for image control than meaningful change.
It’s a time for family and friends, for reaching out to help those in crisis, and to truly appreciate the things we have and continue to treasure as Canadians, and simply, as people.
As we celebrate Family Day this weekend, it’s nice to see our federal leaders behave a little more like family than familiar foes.
I’m Paul Martin and that’s what I see looking Beyond the Headlines.
