The Ides of October

Cartoon for the Globe and Mail

Compared to U.S. politics, Canadian politics feels much less bloody—often stereotypically polite.

The would-be conspirators had everything in place. The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and his right-hand, Chief of Staff Katie Telford, were out of the country. They’d begun quietly gathering signatures from MPs, pledging to stand united in demanding Trudeau’s resignation. The signatures served as their pact—proof that none could later deny their involvement. Secrecy was key, stealth their greatest weapon.

All they had to do was wait for the next caucus meeting on October 23rd. That’s when they’d confront Trudeau in their own version of an Ides of March moment. All they had to do was bide their time, waiting in the political shadows.

But then... they issued a press release.

Wait... what?

Imagine if the Roman conspirators plotting against Julius Caesar had done the same, issuing a press release on March 7, 44 B.C.E., a week before the Ides of March:

Press Release

Dear People of Rome,

We, the undersigned, are planning to stab Caesar in the back—literally. March 15th looks like the perfect day. Stay tuned.

We just want to be clear: our goal isn’t to embarrass Julius Caesar... we’re just going to stab him until he’s dead.

Contact: Cassius, Casca, Decius, Cinna, Metellus Cimber, Ligarius, Trebonius, et Brutus.