The Great Divide is the watershed weaving through the Rockies along Albertaâs border with British Columbia.
But as this week unfolded, sharp contrasts on the political landscape continued to build a greater divide along Canadaâs border with the U.S.
In another among many polar opposites taking shape in the last two weeks, we now have a sharp difference in how Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Donald Trump handle the fundamental duty of delivering their campaign promises.
Trump, for starters, is delivering on promises he should break or at least soften.
He is doing it without any consultation. And he argues voters want him to enact his promises literally, despite what he alleges is a fraud-tainted voting process.
Trudeau, by sharp contrast, broke a key campaign promise to fix Canadaâs unfair voting system yesterday. He did it after costly and extensive foot-dragging consultations.
Trudeau now argues the voters elected him simply to find out if they wanted electoral reform in theory, not necessarily deliver it.
And besides, he has determined, the voting system which gave him a majority government wasnât as flawed as he thought when he was leader of the third-place party.
While Trumpâs promise-keeping is far more dangerous, Trudeauâs promise-breaking is not without gall.
Trudeau appointed a young rookie minister named Karina Gould last month, handed her the controversial reform kill order and marched her out to defend the inexplicable to a media with questions she couldnât answer while under furious opposition attack.
It was not a fair fight. Trudeau shouldâve taken the heat himself.
Gould made matters worse by pretending reform was still happening on the eve of the kill order by duplicitously inviting her opponents to chat about a work in progress.
It was a shabby, unbecoming, unconvincing performance â and hereâs hoping the Liberals have learned something from it before theyâre expected to break another promise later this month.
Thatâs when Trudeau will refuse to restore door-to-door mail delivery. Itâs the right decision if backed by a proper communications plan.
But if that promise reversal is handled poorly, the image of the Liberals as untrustworthy will cast a long shadow over Trudeauâs government for three more years.
Then Trudeau would finally have something in common with Donald Trump â a reputation for embracing alternative truths.
And thatâs the Last WordâŚ