If members of Parliament do not avoid the dangers of 害羞草研究所減erformance politics害羞草研究所� and chasing 害羞草研究所渓ikes害羞草研究所� on social media, future Canadians will look back on the current moment as the start of the country害羞草研究所檚 decline, Erin O害羞草研究所橳oole warned Monday.
The former Conservative leader and Ontario MP used his last address to the House of Commons to issue a call to colleagues to focus on what he said should be figuring out the country害羞草研究所檚 national purpose.
Instead of debating that he said, 害羞草研究所渢oo many of us are often chasing algorithms down a sinkhole of diversion and division.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲e are becoming elected officials who judge our self-worth by how many 害羞草研究所榣ikes害羞草研究所� we get on social media, but now not how many lives we change in the real world.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淧erformance politics is fuelling polarization. Virtue-signalling is replacing discussion and far too often 害羞草研究所� we害羞草研究所檙e just using this Chamber to generate clips, not to start national debates.害羞草研究所�
O害羞草研究所橳oole is retiring from federal politics at the end of the month after first being elected in a byelection in 2012. From there, the lawyer and former Royal Canadian Air Force member served as parliamentary secretary to Ed Fast, then-trade minister in the former Conservative government of Stephen Harper.
Before the Conservatives lost government in 2015, O害羞草研究所橳oole was appointed to serve as minister for veterans affairs at a troubling time for the portfolio, as the country was adjusting to the return of soldiers who fought in Afghanistan.
After the Tories lost power, O害羞草研究所橳oole set his sights on leadership of the party, placing third in its 2017 leadership contest to replace Harper. He ultimately won its 2020 race, but was faced with leading it through the height of COVID-19-related lockdowns.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre 害羞草研究所� whom the party elected after its MPs voted O害羞草研究所橳oole out in early 2022 following months of internal strife and losing the 2021 federal election 害羞草研究所� told the Commons on Monday that O害羞草研究所橳oole 害羞草研究所渞emains a statesman in our party害羞草研究所� and thanked him for his public service.
That 2021 loss has recently been at the front of many Conservatives害羞草研究所� minds, as O害羞草研究所橳oole recently revealed to MPs that he was briefed by the country害羞草研究所檚 spy agency on how he was a target of Chinese interference during the campaign.
Conservatives first began raising concerns during the race when they saw what they characterized as misinformation being spread about the party. O害羞草研究所橳oole has since expressed disappointment with what he says is inaction by the Liberal government, calling for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to trigger a public inquiry.
He has said he accepts the outcome of of the election.
Since being ousted by his caucus, O害羞草研究所橳oole has kept a low profile in Parliament save for some of his writings. In late December 2022, he penned a post saying he wished the coming year would bring with it more civilized political rhetoric, specifically calling out the expletive-laden flags about Trudeau, which became one of the most memorable images of the 2022 害羞草研究所淔reedom Convoy.害羞草研究所�
It was after the hundreds of vehicles and thousands of protesters decrying Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 government and COVID-19 restrictions rolled into Ottawa that O害羞草研究所橳oole害羞草研究所檚 caucus removed him as leader. The move came after O害羞草研究所橳oole struggled to satisfy the party with his position on vaccine mandates, and was accused of flip-flopping on key Conservative policies from the carbon tax to firearms.
On Monday, O害羞草研究所橳oole reflected on the divisiveness of the last federal election and how social media is shaping the country害羞草研究所檚 politics for the worse, telling MPs, 害羞草研究所渟ocial media did not build this great country, but it is starting to tear its democracy down.害羞草研究所�
He cautioned that if Parliament is not careful there will be a future generation of voters who have not heard a viewpoint different than their own.
害羞草研究所淭oday, too often, we害羞草研究所檙e allowing conspiracy theories about the UN or the World Economic Forum go unchallenged,害羞草研究所� O害羞草研究所橳oole said.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e becoming followers of our followers when we should be leaders.害羞草研究所�
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