Thread by @JeffRybak

Erin O'Toole has finally pissed me off enough to motivate a multi-post. Because his memeification of political discourse really deserves a reply, and unlike O'Toole I actually believe that people are willing to read and think about more than eight words in a row. #cdnpoli 1/12

Here's exhibit A. Rights are good, yes? Preserving them must be good too. But any semi-intelligent conversation about rights acknowledges they exist in tension with one another, and must be carefully defined. There is no right to "do well and prosper." #cdnpoli 2/12

It's true when government collects taxes and spends money, it's taking from some to spend on others. There's that tension. So my right to keep what's "mine" butts up against someone else's right to access public health care, and we can't all get what we want. #cdnpoli 3/12

Our Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a world-respected document - ushered in by Pierre Trudeau btw - and the rights codified there are carefully balanced. They've been agonized over. Government can't infringe on those rights lightly and never without justification. #cdnpoli 4/12

So why would O'Toole - a trained lawyer - gesture to a "right" that doesn't exist? Because it's easy to claim something is being taken away when you don't need to define it. Because he's hoping that we won't notice. And because "doing well" could mean anything. #cdnpoli 5/12

Here's exhibit B. I'm not sure what O'Toole thinks he's saying but I'm sure he doesn't care. He's just stroking our ego. I'm proud to be Canadian too, guy. But the world is complex, and being a great nation means more than just shouting that we're great. #cdnpoli 6/12

Exhibit C. I can't even. China puts China first so to prove we're better than them we should put Canada first - which is actually just emulating China? Our PM talks to world leaders but O'Toole talks to regular people? What's the message here? #cdnpoli 7/12

International diplomacy is complicated. And much of what China is doing these days disturbs me too. But talking to foreign leaders and grappling with complexity is what leaders do. If O'Toole thinks that's just pansy, Liberal nonsense, he's unqualified to lead. #cdnpoli 8/12

I could go on and on. The basic problem isn't really that O'Toole is as stupid as all this. It's that he thinks we're this stupid. Sometimes, I swear, we're in danger of proving him right. But if you're willing to read a 500 word "tweet" in twelve parts, maybe not. #cdnpoli 9/12

Frankly, I'm not happy with some of what Trudeau's government has done lately. And I'm secure enough to admit that. I would gladly listen to intelligent criticism of this government. I'd welcome opposition leaders keeping them more on their toes. #cdnpoli 10/12

What I don't want is empty sloganeering from anyone. It demeans us all. Say what you want about the Trudeau Liberals - they at least acknowledge that our problems are complex and our solutions must be too. Which gives them a fighting chance of getting things right. #cdnpoli 11/12

I don't know if there's a difference between a government run by idiots and a government run to appeal to idiots, but I know I don't want either. If the O'Toole Conservatives can't respect the intelligence of all Canadians, they don't deserve our respect in return. #cdnpoli 12/12

(One day later). Just gotta say, I'm a little floored by the reaction and uptake on all of this. Thank you for restoring my faith in our collective appetite for complexity and, you know, words. I'll try my best to follow up with more stuff worth reading. #cdnpoli 13/12