Where was Ford’s demand to strip far-right terrorist Alex Minassian of his rights when he murdered 10 Ontarians? Where is the conservative movement’s collective outrage as far-right militias arm themselves, preparing to wage war against democracy? Is that not the same reason they violently oppose ISIS fighters?
Where were Scheer’s demands to intervene in the justice system when Tina Fontaine’s suspected murder was acquitted? Why are Conservatives silent as aboriginal women and children are murdered? Where are the calls for justice?
Their silence is deafening but the reason is simple: today’s Conservatives privilege authoritarian mob-rule, inconsistently applied to elicit maximum short-term political success.
Mob rule isn’t based on equality before the law. It’s designed to turn one group against another and undermine the rule of law. Islamic terrorists are targeted rhetorically instead of right-wing terrorists because they are perceived to be more alien than white, homegrown terrorists.
MPP Dave Smith, the man introducing Ford’s ISIS fighter bill, put it bluntly:
“a terrorist outside of Canada, when they come back to Ontario, they should not have more privileges than somebody who lives in Ontario”.
Where does this logic lead? The next step is easy to envision. Anyone deemed as an outsider, or those who are a “drain on our society”, should not receive the same rights or benefits as the rest of us. This story has played out time and time again throughout history.
The lesson? De-humanization and abuse never stops at just one group.
The most searing criticism of this worldview came not from a progressive voice, but from Benjamin Perrin, an adviser and in-house legal counsel to former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office.
FORD AND SCHEER HAVE EMBRACED EMOTIONAL MOB-RULE. WHAT COMES NEXT SHOULD WORRY EVERYONE.
Today’s Conservatives privilege authoritarian mob-rule which is inconsistently applied to illicit maximum short-term political success.
Doug Ford has proposed denying basic government services — such as OHIP, drivers’ licenses and disability income — to alleged Canadian citizens returning to the country after fighting with ISIS.
Andrew Scheer wants the power to personally intervene in the judicial system. He has argued that the Prime Minister should have the power, in the case of Tori Stafford’s killer, to determine an offender’s punishment and how it should be served.
On the face of it, these events appear to be unrelated and nothing more than Conservative virtue signalling. But the truth is far more sinister: Conservatives have embraced emotionally-driven mob rule as a substitute for the rule of law. History shows this inevitably leads to increased authoritarianism and illiberal tendencies.
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