Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hits the road this week for a series of town hall meetings, including a stop at McMaster University in Hamilton on Wednesday.
In theory, these town halls are supposed to be an opportunity for ordinary Canadians to put questions to the prime minister on whatever is on their mind.
The reality is, no matter which political party is participating, town hall meetings tend to be glorified photo ops with a lot more sizzle than steak.
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That’s because politicians today are told to stay on message and stick to their talking-point answers no matter what question is asked.
In fact, the Prime Minister’s Office has already stated that the theme of the town halls will be the economy, and that’s understandable because there are some good news stories about Canada’s economic outlook.
But heading into the second half of his mandate, the prime minister must surely be aware that voters have many other concerns, like political ethics and proper compensation for wounded veterans and how to deal with that megalomaniac in the White House.
Getting away from the political spin doctors in Ottawa is a good idea, but a prudent leader will not use the town hall to push an agenda, they’ll use it to listen.
Bill Kelly is the host of Bill Kelly Show on AM 900 CHML and a commentator for Global News
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