In search of thoughtful political leadership

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/01/2025 (435 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending the Aspen Ministerial Forum, an annual gathering of former foreign ministers held this year in Lugano, Switzerland, as an observer.

To call it an awe-inspiring experience is no exaggeration — and yet, the awe I felt wasn’t driven by any grand revelations or groundbreaking ideas. Instead, it came from witnessing something we’ve been globally deprived of for years: the dignity of thoughtful political leadership.

Each day of the forum, former foreign ministers from diverse nations and opposing viewpoints convened around a rectangular table. Here, they debated complex global issues without — imagine this — resorting to name-calling, inflammatory rhetoric, and hateful or racist remarks.

The discussions ranged from the new realities of foreign policy after the American election to new propositions to strengthen democratic resilience through public education and the arts. The most profoundly moving moment, however, was to observe a former Israeli foreign minister and a representative from the Palestinian Authority engage in serious debate on the Middle East conflict. Their disagreements were sharp, but the tone remained respectful and rational. It was a rare reminder of what political discourse is intended to be, substantive and civil.

As I observed these exchanges, I couldn’t help but wish more Canadians could see that such constructive dialogue is still possible. Back home, as I read the news, our potentially future prime minister, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre ignored the “Team Canada” stance called for by all other parties, even continuing to perpetuate some of incoming U.S. president Donald Trump’s claims after he began threatening Canadian sovereignty with his online posts about us becoming the 51st state.

This is the same would-be leader who continues to deny the existential threat of climate change, who engages in infantile name-calling reminiscent of his idol to the south, refuses to read classified material so he can intentionally speak from an uninformed position in order to inflame the public, and has even pledged to be the first prime minister to use the notwithstanding clause to curtail the legal rights of Canadians protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

In contrast, the Aspen forum was a reminder of what leadership could and should be: a place where politicians prioritize facts, work together despite differences and address pressing issues with respect and decorum. Of course, disagreements are inevitable — that’s the nature of governance. But what we’re seeing today, both in Canada and globally, is the rise of populism and authoritarianism.

Autocrats and their followers are not driven by facts or the public good. Their goals are self-serving, and they manipulate anger and emotions to obtain and maintain power. Meanwhile, many voters have grown so disillusioned and exhausted by the political landscape that they’ve simply tuned out. Those who remain engaged often follow their party with blind loyalty, forgetting it’s perfectly acceptable and democratic to sincerely consider all the political platforms every election cycle in order to cast a fully informed vote for the party that best represents their values.

This static electorate isn’t rooted in malice or ignorance. It’s the result of a populace worn down by economic inequality, where the rich perpetually become richer with lopsided tax breaks and deregulation while the rest of us struggle daily. In this enfeebled political climate, politicians often appear indifferent, failing to speak honestly or act decisively and altruistically to improve society. Moreover, you can see the effects in our body language.

Where once Canadians could hold our head high with strong social policy and global leadership, we now have a prime minister who had to wait for every card to fall away from the house before leaving power, and what seems to be his inevitable successor, basking in self-adoration and premature celebration with no clear policy stances on anything other than follow the southern leader.

The result? Our once humble yet strong population has become disgruntled, bitter, and misanthropic to foreigners just like the politicians who lead us.

For these reasons, and many others, I would strongly encourage the Aspen Ministerial Forum to consider making some of its discussions public. Host them in universities or other bastions of free thought and democracy, where they can inspire current and future leaders. This is a group of experienced politicians who care about the issues, who answer questions directly, and who remind us of a time when facts, empathy, human rights, and respect were central to political discourse.

In the face of the dark days ahead, Canada must reclaim its role as a diplomatic leader. Our strength has always been rooted in soft power, characterized by respect, decency, and an unwavering commitment to human rights.

We need that Canada again. The world needs that Canada again.

Stephen Axworthy has been a municipal councillor for six years and is an active social studies teacher who works in rural Manitoba.