When political events go off without a hitch, they’re often well-crafted masterpieces with many different architects. However, when certain anomalies spring to life, it sometimes brings excitement to our otherwise boring lives.
One of these moments occurred on Jan. 6 during a Vancouver Board of Trade meeting. Stephen Harper was preparing to participate in a question and answer session. Seemingly out of nowhere, two environmental activists nonchalantly walked up behind the Prime Minister and held signs which read “Climate Justice Now” and “The Conservatives Take Climate Change Seriously.” The latter was crossed out completely.
This highlights Harper’s ability to remain calm under pressure.
No one in their right mind can say he’s not a patient and robotic leader. Rarely do we see Harper lose his temper. But compared to the leader of the official opposition, Thomas Mulcair, we see a drastic contrast in demeanour.
While watching the highly popular and riveting TV program known as Question Period, these demeanours come out in full effect.
While both of them are deflecting questions, Harper is often calm, and collected, while Mulcair is more animated and aggressive. This makes Canadian politics a fun thing to watch. But make no mistake, this will prove a very important part of the upcoming 2015 election.
Harper’s ability to remain calm under stressful situations shows how comfortable he is in the Prime Minister’s Office. On the other hand, Mulcair’s animated style shows a more passionate and high-energy version of politics for people to see.
This provides the Canadian public with a high entertainment value to say the least. Fear not Trudeau lovers. He definitely has a major role to play in the coming election, perhaps even a minority or majority government.
But this tiny bit of speculation aside, remember this about Stephen Harper. He’s meticulous, robotic and cunning. These three characteristics will no doubt emerge themselves more and more the closer we get to that faithful day in 2015.
