Axioms still ring good today

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Recently an email buddy expressed his opinion about the new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney being much better-equipped than his Liberal predecessor or his Conservative opponent in April 28 federal election.

My response was that Mr Carney’s meagre achievements to date, are picking a cabinet full of retread ministers from the previous very incompetent regime; showing an ability to deflect or ignore pointed questions; and acting coyly in the presence of President Trump, who totally dominated their Oval Office press conference on May 6.

I reminded of Rafe Mair’s Axiom #1: “You don’t have to be a ‘ten’ in politics; you can be a ‘three’, if everyone else is a ‘two’” – he acquiesced that was indeed relevant to PM Carney. Mair died almost a decade ago, was a legendary and sometimes controversial broadcaster. He was a trained a lawyer, spent some time in municipal and provincial politics, heading various ministries in the free enterprise government of the day. He quit politics to become a radio talk show host, and ruled the airwaves for about 25 years in Vancouver and across Canada; always researched his subjects thoroughly, and never suffered fools gladly.

Mair frequently used slightly off-colour phrases, such as calling certain elected leaders “political whores”, or admonishing them for “getting their knickers in a knot”. He often quoted that Axiom #1, along with another: “You make a serious mistake assuming that the people in charge know what the hell they are doing”. Both axioms are so relevant today, noting political turmoil around the world. London’s Palace of Westminster is known as the Mother Of Parliaments, but today’s UK Labour government is in complete chaos with many of its own MPs rebelling against the leadership, despite a resounding electoral victory only a year ago. Similar dysfunction in several leading democracies in Europe, and the US is so polarised that the Vice President had to cast the tie-breaking vote in his position as President of the Senate – to pass President Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’.

There is war between Russia and Ukraine; wars between Israel and several others in the Middle East; civil wars and conflicts in Sudan, Yemen, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Haiti and elsewhere. The American president surrounds himself with sycophants, while Canada’s PM stands in front of his cabinet who nod in agreement to every syllable that leaves his lips. No doubt about it, both of Rafe Mair’s Axioms still ring true today.

BERNIE SMITH

Parksville, BC

Canada