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Gerald Butts

πŸ‘€ Speaker
772 total appearances

Appearances Over Time

Podcast Appearances

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

So people get less patient with their demands.

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

You've always got mouths to feed in government, right?

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

whether it be traditional constituencies, the issues that a party will prosecute over time that James was talking about.

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

Every party has their version of that issue, of those issues.

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

But on the upside, and I think it is a really important upside, and I think in a strange way, they're about to generate what the public wants, frankly, because I think that the public wants...

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

Prime Minister Carney to have the stability and the planning horizon that you get with a majority government but nobody wants an election and I think that that's true of the Prime Minister as well without speaking for him that's just my own instinct watching his body language and I think in a strange way and people have made this point about our parliamentary system many times over the years the system itself is conspiring to give the public what it

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

And I know a lot of people will disagree with that and we'll get some hate mail for it.

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

But when my reading of the polls and how consistent they've been in support of the prime minister, and let's be honest, this is support for Mark Carney and his government.

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

It is not support for the traditional version of the liberal party.

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

It is support for Mark Carney.

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

I think they're going to get what they want.

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

So if you're in the prime minister's shoes...

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

you have the most, suddenly you have the most valuable resource in politics and in life, and that is time.

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

So instead of worrying about whether you need a scenario to go to the polls this spring and another one next fall and then one the following spring and basically every six months,

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

usually unpredictably something generates an election anyway.

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

Now he gets to take a step back and say, okay, I've got three years.

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

What do I want to accomplish in those three years?

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

And for all of the reasons James described, that will heighten the pressure on him.

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

But I think there's no substitute for having that kind of time.

The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge
Moore Butts -- Why Does A Majority Make Such A Difference?

And look, as someone who has been deeply involved with him and