The 2011 Gordon Osbaldeston Lecture
by Allan R. Gregg
“That above all – to thine own self be true; And it must follow as the night the day. Thou canst not then be false to any manâ€
Polonius’ advice to his son, Laertes in Hamlet
A Short History of the Erosion of Trust
Even someone with only a passing interest in current affairs would know our political leaders are in big trouble.
A few years ago, Seth Meyers of Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live developed a routine where he lampooned politicians by simply asking “Really!†…. no narrative; not even a snappy punch-line; simply a run a clip of a politician followed by an incredulous “Really!†Jon Stewart has taken this vein of comedy one step further where the joke doesn’t even require speech … just show the politician speaking; pause for a moment; and arch an eye brow. Both routines are invariably followed by gales of laughter. Not only is the joke on our elected leaders, it seems they are the only ones left on the planet who don’t get it.
And you also would not have to be a student of Canadian history to know that this condition is very different from the Canadian political culture of the past.
(more…)
