Do our premiers need official residences?

Violent protests may make official homes for political leaders necessary

Édifice Price in Quebec City includes a 2-storey apartment which is the official residence of the Premier of Quebec. PHOTO: Wilfredor

An armed man was arrested Monday evening at the front door of Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s home. It may be time to consider establishing official residences for political leaders at provincial and some municipal levels.

Eventually, every politician has to make decisions. And, when they do, people will be disappointed. Some outraged. In our current social climate, it doesn’t take much to push outrage into violence.

Upset with who won the election? Pissed off at a political decision? It’s not enough to be angry. The mayor or premier or prime minister who made the offensive decision isn’t just wrong in 2021. He or she is “a criminal.” The decision itself is a crime. And, not just any crime. It’s a capital crime. The offensive toad deserves to be executed. I know this, because I’m on Twitter. I see it screamed out into the ether every day.

There’s some real messed up brainwork going on out there these days. Sadly, it’s becoming more and more common. And, via social media, these psychopaths can gather and organize. Organized psychopaths are dangerous.

Protests and threats are increasingly too close to home

On Monday, a man armed with a butcher knife was arrested outside the private residence of Ontario Premier Doug Ford. He allegedly slashed a number of tires on the street before walking up Ford’s driveway, screaming in protest and banging on the door. He was yelling threats and brandishing a large knife witnesses say looked “bloody.”

It’s important to remember that Premier Ford, like all but one Canadian premier, lives in a private residence. Not a government building. It’s the home he and his family has shared for years. On a quiet residential street. A street full of normal people, living normal lives in normal homes.

If someone had opened the door Monday evening, the outcome could have been deadly. It wasn’t. Only because Ontario’s premier has a full-time security detail provided by the Ontario Provincial Police and an officer was at the house. He arrested the intruder.

It’s not the first threat against Doug Ford. Nor, the first incident at his home.

It’s not just about Doug Ford

In Alberta, Premier Jason Kenny and his family have received death threats. have received death threats. Former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne was the subject of 97 threats during her time in office – and faced unruly protesters outside her private residence as well. Rachel Notley, received 412 threats in 2016 alone while she was the Premier in that province.

There is nothing partisan about this.

Threats of violence are never OK against anyone – including against a political leader whose policies and ideas upset you. It’s. Never. OK. And political leaders of every stripe agree. They’ve all rightly condemn these threats whenever they occur.

It’s getting too easy to be violent

I’m happy to see Canadians of every walk of life taking an interest in politics. That’s a good thing. Peaceful public protest can also be a positive thing. But violent protest isn’t. It doesn’t advance the message of the protesters – and it can put lives at risk.

Too often, social media-amplified vitriol results in violent protest – increasingly targeting the private residences of political leaders and their families. I get why this is an attractive target. At home is where the most powerful politician feels the most vulnerable. So, as abhorrent as the practice is, it’s going to continue.

But, protesting at private residences puts families at risk – the politician’s family and the neighbours too. Neighbours who have absolutely nothing to do with the issues involved.

Doug Ford’s home has been a regular target of such protests, making life miserable and occasionally terrifying for his family and their neighbours. Kathleen Wynne was targeted at home too. And Toronto Mayor John Tory’s home in a downtown condo tower has been targeted too. In every case it creates mayhem, fear and very real danger for everyone living in the neighbourhood.

If the risk keeps coming for Mohammed, maybe we move him to a safer mountain?

There is one way we could keep our political leaders, their families and neighbours safer. And, at the same time, even make peaceful protest a little easier.

We should seriously consider the idea of creating official residences for Canada’s premiers. Perhaps even for mayors of some of our largest cities.

The only Canadian premier who currently lives in an official residence while in office is the Premier of Quebec, who has a two-storey official apartment in Quebec City’s Edifice Price. Premier Legault, by the way, has also been the target of threats. Perhaps, Quebec has it right.

There are advantages to housing premiers in official residences.

A modern official residence doesn’t have to be magnificently elaborate or luxurious. But, it should be big enough for a modern family, with room for visitors at holidays.

It should be situated away from neighbours to avoid them becoming “collateral targets” of inconvenience and danger.

It should provide for privacy and security for the family, but be designed to permit peaceful public protests close enough to be noticed, but not to threaten or obstruct activities in residence.

It should have a private and secure area where family can relax and kids can play, but also have a nearby “protest zone” where obnoxious but peaceful protests could be held – with a view to the home through an attractive but functional security fence.

The protest zone could even include gender-neutral public restrooms, bike racks, public showers (likely never to be used) and phone chargers all powered by solar wind. Perhaps even a Booster Juice and Starbucks franchise could set up shop, so protesters can refresh with a kale-beetroot smoothie and a sous-vide egg bite to go.

A permanent official residence would include facilities for a security detail, security cameras, police staging areas, etc. which could reduce set up/tear down and temporary installation costs over multiple occupants.

Repurpose the Queen’s Heirbnbs?

All but four provinces currently have magnificent official residences for their Lieutenants Governor – people who are rarely threatened with anything but snores.

Perhaps, we could repurpose some of those heritage buildings for working politicians and their families to make better use of them.

Then again, maybe not. As they’re all far to ostentatious for any self-respecting politician to be seen at home in.