“Sunny ways, my friend, sunny ways.” I admit I didn’t think that taking the high road, the sunny ways, in the 2015 federal election could possibly work against the Conservatives, the masters of negative campaigning. But it did.

However, that wasn’t the main reason I was so delighted (and relieved) when the Liberals won, nor that they were led by a young, exciting and very photogenic Justin Trudeau. The main reason was that the dull, grey days of the dull, grey Stephen Harper were over.

2015—what a year that was! The NDP won in Alberta and the Harper Conservatives lost federally. The bloom never came off the rose in Alberta—I remained excited about Rachel Notley’s government for all of its too short four years—but PM Trudeaus’ betrayal of voting reform took the edge off for me. He now says he regrets not having reformed the electoral system. (Me too, Justin—now Poilievre may get 100 percent of the power with the support of only 45 percent of Canadians.)

Neither Poilievre nor Singh could resist sour comments about the resignation—not surprising from the habitually offensive Conservative leader. Elizabeth May, in contrast, as usual showed some class, saying “Today, I want to thank Justin Trudeau for his service to his country and wish him and his family much happiness and peace in the years ahead.”

I, too, thank the PM for his and his party’s service. They have done much good work over the past ten years. He did more for women in government than any other prime minster in history—“because it’s 2015.” His government brought in the Canada Child Benefit which has lifted thousands of children out of poverty; and is committed to $10-a-day child care which will greatly improve the working lives of thousands of women.

He and his is government have also legalized marijuana, reformed the Senate and provided sound leadership during the Covid pandemic, including offering generous financial aid to those Canadians and businesses struggling through the crisis. With a little prodding from the NDP, they strengthened the health care system with good starts on pharmacare and dental care.

Altogether, a good decade of work. I thank him for his leadership in all that, and I add a small note of appreciation for stepping down to allow his party the opportunity to regenerate before the coming election. It took a push from his own party to get him out the door, nonetheless he did the right thing. We need all the progressive parties at their best to confront the Trump-lite Poilievre and his crew.

So now it’s on to the leadership race. Go, Chrystia!