Laryssa Waler: Canadians like politicians they can see themselves having a beer with

National Post

2 days ago

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Closer to home, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew practices radical honesty. In his book, The Reason You Walk, he lays bare arrests, addiction, and reconciliation with his father. By putting scars on the table, Kinew invited Manitobans to judge him on who he is now. That candour helped him convert skeptics and win a majority in 2023.
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In Ontario, even Ford's harshest critics will admit his authenticity isn't staged — it just happens. Like the time a Walmart barber botched his haircut and Ford turned the buzzcut into a running joke. Or when a bee flew straight into his mouth during a press conference in Dundalk — he coughed, made a joke that the bee has a lot of real estate to work with in his belly, and carried on. Both moments went viral not because they were polished, but because they weren't. They were messy, unscripted, human — and oddly endearing.
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Critics often dismiss these moments as political theatre, but suspicion evaporates when leaders genuinely risk vulnerability. Ford's most notable apologies are case in point. In 2023, when he scrapped the controversial Greenbelt land-swap, he bluntly acknowledged he had got it wrong and promised to restore every acre. Similarly, during the peak COVID fatigue in 2021, he reversed an unpopular decision that had closed playgrounds and expanded police powers, publicly apologizing the next day. Each reversal attracted criticism, yet his willingness to admit mistakes built trust in ways that no scripted memo ever could.
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In an era of polarization, it's tempting for politicians to hide behind talking points and social media armies. They reward the politician who can laugh at a bee, admit a bad call, or linger on the dock because another premier still has questions about labour mobility or energy sharing. Authenticity guarantees a human connection sturdy enough to survive inevitable disagreements.
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Politics will always need vision, math, and mastery of the file. But the leaders who move mountains are the ones who start by moving hearts — showing up, scars, jokes and bee stings included, to earn the trust that makes the hard stuff possible.
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