Yesterday was one of those days in Canadian politics that felt like a split screen. On one side, the nation’s Premiers gathered in Toronto, united and even optimistic, presenting a rare tableau of cooperation. On the other, Ottawa was engulfed in chaos. The expected release of the Fall Economic Statement was completely overshadowed by Chrystia Freeland’s surprise resignation as Finance Minister—a shocking development that sent the federal government into a tailspin.

The contrast couldn’t have been starker. There was Doug Ford, hosting the country’s Premiers on his home turf, playing the role of a congenial statesman. Leaders of wildly different political stripes—progressives, conservatives, and even a few sovereigntists—came together to show the country what functional governance could look like. Meanwhile, in Ottawa, the Trudeau government appeared to be coming apart at the seams, its leadership mired in distraction and dysfunction.

The oddest and most telling moment of the day? Freeland, in the middle of her federal upheaval, joined a conference call with the Premiers. It was Doug Ford himself who confirmed that his "good friend Chrystia" had dialled in to provide an update—right in the middle of this gathering of provincial leaders. For a moment, it seemed as though the stability of the country depended not on the federal government, but on this ragtag assembly of Premiers, who were managing to work together and deliver a message of unity.

The image called to mind an old Saturday morning cartoon that some of us might remember: The Super Friends. The Premiers—this diverse, sometimes dysfunctional group of leaders—suddenly looked like the last line of defence, stepping up to protect Canada while Ottawa crumbled. There was Ford as the de facto leader, Danielle Smith as the vocal (and occasionally rebellious) wildcard, François Legault as the Quebecois mastermind, and a host of other characters each playing their part. Together, they projected an air of steady cooperation that Ottawa, for all its lofty rhetoric, simply couldn’t muster.

Of course, the Premiers’ cooperation won’t last forever—political realities and regional grievances will eventually resurface. But for a fleeting moment, as Freeland’s bombshell resignation sent Ottawa into a spiral, the provinces looked like Canada’s grown-ups in the room. In a time of uncertainty and dysfunction at the federal level, that’s worth reflecting on.

It’s not every day you see provincial leaders cast as national heroes, but these are strange times. Maybe the real Super Friends weren’t just fighting cartoon villains—they were wrangling supply chains, housing crises, and existential threats from south of the border. And maybe, just maybe, we could use a little more of that cooperative energy as we face the challenges ahead.

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Please enjoy my making-of clip of the December 18, 2024 editorial cartoon: