Book review: Why Valerie Chu won't win the next Canadian election

What's wrong with Canada? Especially in comparison with the U.S.A.? How come America got Barack Obama and Canada is stuck with Stephen Harper? These are questions that John Ibbitson attempts quite successfully to answer in his new (and commendably short) book, Open and Shut.

As the title suggests, Ibbitson argues that the U.S.A. is an open society, whereas Canadian society is closed. He argues, and Walt agrees, that a Barack Obama could never be nominated as leader of a major Canadian party let alone elected. Why? Because both the Conservative and Liberal parties are dominated by small, closed groups of old, white guys.

Ibbotson illustrates by constructing a fictional character, Valerie Chu, who he says would make an ideal prime minister, but who decides not to put herself forward because she couldn't possibly win. She might, though, have a shot after one or two more minority governments, if one or other of the parties opens up its processes and, more important, its thinking.

I particularly like Mr. Ibbotson's analysis of why "the quality of leadership [in Canada] is so laclustre that fewer and fewer Canadians are even bothering to vote". One of three reasons he gives is that Canadian political parties are broken, because "with each new government, fewer people have more power".

Canada went from Jean Chrétien's friendly dictatorship (Jeffrey Simpson's phrase) to Steve's not-so-friendly dictatorship. Ah yes, Stephen Harper, the "overweight economist who couldn't offer an honest smile to save his life" who managed to beat Stephane Dion, "a backpacking political scientist whose English made your ears bleed".

Ibbotson is similarly scathing about almost all the tin gods of Canadian politics with the possible exception of Michael Ignatieff, possibly because he doesn't know Iggy very well yet.

Open and Shut should be read immediately by any and every Canadian concerned with saving his or her country from its politicians. It's published by McClelland & Stewart (2009) and has a cover price of C$18.99 or US$14.95. If you can't find it in your library, go to Bellingham or Buffalo to buy it!