Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich sat down with CTV’s Your Morning on Monday, to share his thoughts on topics including the U.S. election, the rise of Donald Trump, changing America’s status quo and U.S.-Canada relations.
Gingrich said this U.S. election campaign has been very different from any he’s seen before. He cites the ascension of Trump, Hillary Clinton as the first female major party candidate, and the shift in attitudes among American voters as significant differences from years past. He said that Trump’s popularity among Republican voters has demonstrated their desire for substantial change in their government.
“It’s really a wild year,” Gingrich said. “The country is really deeply upset. They (voters) believe the Republican Party has failed to deliver and that they want a very thorough and dramatic reassessment of a really wide range of policies.”
Trump’s appeal stems from his ability to challenge the establishment and the government’s current status quo according to Gingrich. He said that because Trump is new to politics he’s bound to make mistakes, but his supporters will forgive him because he’s their best chance to shake things up in Washington.
“What they (Trump supporters) really want is to kick over the table. They don’t want to manage the table,” Gingrich said. “So Trump comes along and kicks over the table.”
Gingrich said that “dramatic, bold, historic change” is always scary and unknowable, but that it’s only achieved by taking big risks. He said that Trump’s supporters are willing to take a gamble on him because he has the “drive and toughness” to change Washington.
As for the potential impact of a Trump presidency on Canada, Gingrich suggests that he might not be the best option. He said the current government has been very good for Canadians and suggests that, if Trump changes policies such as NAFTA, it may not be as favourable for Canada.
“Trump might express to him (Prime Minister Justin Trudeau) that American interests aren’t always Canadian interests,” Gingrich said.
However, Gingrich believes that Trump will be able to stimulate the U.S. economy, which could benefit the Canadian economy in the long term.
“If you want a healthy neighbour to your south, who’s a gigantic customer, who’s economy grows very dramatically and creates the kind of engine of growth for all of North America, then Trump’s probably a better gamble,” Gingrich said.
