The Price of Privilege Meets Ideological Disconnect

The Defense of White Christmas

They all rose and applauded simultaneously, just as they always do, much like when then-Speaker Rota introduced former Nazi Yaroslav Hunka to the House of Commons on September 22. It's a reflex, but one that can be resisted.

Rising to clap after the leader gives a spirited retort seems natural for front and backbenchers alike. The fact that it wasn’t even a good retort, just a spirited one, has me half-convinced MPs do it even when they didn't hear what was said.  But this automatic response can be perilous, as their ovation for Hunka showed.

When government MPs rose this past week to cheer for their leader, the prime minister had just declared his government to be the defender of white Christmas. I'm unsure as to whether the country has ever had another Christmas-defending prime minister, but it fits Justin Trudeau, born on Christmas.

Christmas has been under attack in our culture and it needs defending at times. Some people see the incessant focus on the commercial side of Christmas a…