OP-ED: Liberals gushed over Carney’s marathon as he runs Canada into the ground

Sue-Ann Levy writes, "To hear the legacy media wax on about his accomplishment, you’d think our PM was an Olympian. It was indeed a snapshot into how invested they are with the Liberal government."

Source: Facebook

By Sue-Ann Levy

Don’t get me wrong.

I am not undermining in the slightest PM Mark Carney’s 26km trail run this past weekend in Haliburton.

It takes stamina and commitment to run any distance – particularly distances longer than 10km and in one’s sixth decade.

I know.

From ages 50 to 61, I ran 17 half-marathons and after only starting to run at age 48.

For each one, I trained for four long months, often during snowy and freezing weather and sometimes in the searing heat.

My final run – my bucket run – was the 21.1K Jerusalem half-marathon.

It is considered one of the more challenging in the world between the hilly terrain and the cobblestones which one runs through in the Old City.

I finished in just under three hours and at the finish line promptly unfurled the Canadian flag I’d carried in my fanny pack.

One could make many comments about Carney’s running ability> I’m not referring to physical activity.

For example, he’s spent the summer running in circles, talking a lot but getting little accomplished.

I fear he will run the country into the ground whether ruining our quality of life or our economy.

Even worse, since he got into office five months ago, he’s continually run his mouth about Israel, making it quite clear he does not have my community’s back and not the least understanding of or insight into geopolitics.

His quick, simplistic and EU-aligned response after the IDF strike in Doha proves that.

There’s no doubt he’s fit for a 60-year-old. Still his time was not that spectacular considering his wife was close behind him and at 61 and not as lithe, I ran a difficult course in virtually the same time.

But to hear the legacy media wax on about his accomplishment, you’d think our PM was an Olympian.

It was indeed a snapshot into how invested they are with the Liberal government, how they trip over themselves to prop him up while ignoring the really, really hard questions.

Most of those who wrote about it gushed to the point of nausea about how he’s a seasoned runner, far fitter than PC leader Pierre Poilievre and just an all-around amazing guy.

Many on X used it as an opportunity to take a stab at Polievre, as if he’s not fit.

Canadian Running Magazine dashed off a puff piece full of quotes from awestruck race organizers and volunteers.

The story contended that magazine staffer Dianne Kapral found herself running behind Carney and it was “such a cool moment” when she realized who he was.

”He’s a strong runner,” she said, noting that Carney informed her it was his first-ever trail race.

It makes me glad that I cancelled my subscription to the magazine.

No less than six Toronto-area legacy media picked up the Canadian Press story, which made sure to note that the run has the “reputation of being one of the harder ones in Canada.”

It was a perfect way for the legacy media to prop up their benefactor.

It didn’t take long for Carney’s Elbows Up supporters to run interference in an effort to change the channel from his many failures to date.

One X post suggested Carney, at 60, is raring to go while his opposition is spent.

It was all cheap theatrics.

But in the end, I sense that the real reason for all this misdirected “noise” and the shameless effort to laud a PM who did what thousands of Canadian runners do throughout the summer season is that the Carney supporters are afraid of how he’ll come off in Parliament.

He’s had a free ride for five months, pronouncing his dictatorial edicts with no opposition.

When Parliament begins next week, no more.

I’m betting the Elbow’s Up crowd and the legacy media are afraid Poilievre will run circles around him.