GUNTER: Carney Liberals capitalize on older voters' fear of change, disruption

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With just two weeks to go before federal election day, this appears to have become a campaign between the past and the future. The Liberals represent the past. They appear likely to win because voters 55 and older will vote disproportionately for Mark Carney and his party.

This week’s debates may be a turning point if Carney flops and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre can be more prime minister than smart-aleck.

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But why are older voters skewing so heavily to the Liberals?

Have those voters not seen the economic damage and cultural disruption the Liberals have wrought over the past decade? Are they unaware that the same cadre of cabinet ministers, caucus members and senior civil servants from the Trudeau era are still in charge under Mark Carney?

Younger voters, especially those under 35, have had to begin their careers and lives during the Liberals’ lost decade. They have had to try to afford homes when Liberal immigration policies, inflation, high interest rates, taxes and “green” regulations doubled the price of a house or condo.

Younger Canadians have had to get footholds in the jobs market at a time when Canada has had the slowest economic growth of any country in the G7, and second-worst among the 38 member countries of the OECD.

Canada’s per capita GDP grew only 1.4 per cent in the nine years the Liberals have been in office.

Older voters, who most often vote Conservative, are gravitating to the Liberals because they are the party of the status quo. And at these chaotic times, older Canadians are willing to overlook the Liberals track record because “no change” is less scary than the “real change,” promised by the Conservatives.

It’s purely self interest. And fear.

If you are retired or closing in on retirement, the last thing you want is disruption. It’s bad for your retirement funds. So even if the Liberals are bad for your grandchildren’s chance at success, you don’t care because maybe they can save your comfortable life.

With U.S. President Donald Trump threatening Canada’s already anemic economy and carving off large chunks from the value of your mutual funds, you are going to vote for the leader and party you think is most likely to return the past stability you long for.

The Liberals are the devil you know.

Mark Carney won’t divulge the nature and extent of his investments. “So,” Boomers say. “At least he’ll protect our retirements!”

Carney can’t answer a simple question about which country he pays his personal taxes in. Shouldn’t someone who wants to be the prime minister of Canada also be a taxpayer of Canada?

Older voters dismiss the answer as trivial compared to their belief that Carney can save us from Trump.

Carney has shrugged off the opioid crisis and given every indication he will continue the Liberals’ lax treatment of violent offenders with easy bail and early release.

Companies taken over by Carney’s Brookfield Asset Management are frequently eligible for large federal government contracts, but Carney wouldn’t let Canadians see whether he still owns shares. He hides behind the claim that his investments are in a blind trust.

This arrangement carries all sorts of potential for ethical conflicts — conflicts that make Trudeau’s conflicts over the WE Charities look like chump change. But older voters don’t care. They’re voting Liberal anyway because the Liberals are going to preserve what’s left of the caring-sharing Canada they grew up in.

Carney won’t repeal any of the Liberals’ “green” mandates on EVs, power grids or pipelines. When he talks about making Canada an “energy superpower,” you think he means oil, gas and minerals, but he could just as easily mean a superpower in wind turbines and solar panels.

If you’ve already reaped the benefits of a prosperous Canada, you’ll vote Liberal out of self-interest and fear that. As badly as the Libs have done, change carries the risk of things getting even worse.