"Taking advantage of others' generosity." I hadn't thought of putting it that way, but you are absolutely right. Not an attractive trait. Another thing: he is always the star in his own second-rate performances. And he only has a couple of scripts (empathy for the unfortunate, partisan boosterism, lamentations for historic wrongs) and they are getting tired. This may be true of all long-serving politicians, but Trudeau's lack of substance is increasingly apparent. Too familiar, perhaps; vaulting ambition with no discernible scaffolding. Years ago, when he was running for the leadership, I covered him at a small event at the Blacksheep Inn, in Wakefield, Que. He spoke about growing up in the area, about his love for the rivers and forests, about the urgent necessity of protecting the environment. He spoke without notes and with passionate urgency _ or a show of passionate urgency. He was captivating. Only when I looked at my notes later did I realize that he really hadn't said much worth reporting.( I think that is still true but I am open to reminders). He was good during the pandemic; he handled Trump with exemplary prudence the first time around. So there's that.
Did you really need 9 years to realize ``his lack of substance is increasingly apparent''. Some of us sussed this out when he was an MP in Papineau at the very beginning of his political career.
Put it another way, had his last name been Côté or Jones, he would still be teaching high school drama somewhere obscure.
I was drawn to “he is always the star in his own second-rate performances.”
At the risk of seeming to be argumentative, perhaps that’s why Trudeau is often lauded for his pandemic response. He basically had the whole communications apparatus at his disposal, with zero competition. If we would have had a normal, properly functioning Parliament and a media that had more insight than what was offered from the steps of Rideau Cottage would we still see Trudeau and his government in the same light?
I would disagree that he was good during the pandemic.
- refused to quarantine travellers from Ground Zero of the pandemic. Called anyone who dared suggest this “racist”.
- gave away our PPE stockpiles to China when it was clear things were going to get bad here.
- entered into a bizarre vaccine partnership with China when our allies and partners were working with western pharmaceutical suppliers to develop the vaccines we have today. Then China freezes us out, making us beg and scrape to get in with the main vaccines our allies had been working on all along. It took Canada months longer to receive vaccines than our allies.
- he tried to end parliamentary oversight at the start of the pandemic.
Trudeau might not have been as bad as Trump (I will give him Operation Warp Speed, although he seems to have memory holed that), but his infatuation with China made him make some massive errors in managing the pandemic here.
Good grief Paul! No wonder he doesn’t return your requests for interviews anymore. Calling out nepo-babies on their nepotism & privileged existence is just not…..cool (?). But I thoroughly enjoyed the read. Keep it up
Thank you for calling out the Prime Minister's dreadful character (and the galling lack of courage on the part of Canadian comers who dilly dally about why they have decided to "move on").
I for one sincerely hope that the Liberals get absolutely pasted during the next election. If they get 35 seats it will be 33 too many.
AC, I enjoyed your comment but I respectfully challenge your mathematical model. I would argue that if they get 35 seats that would be 36 seats too many.
Now, you may ask about my mathematical abilities but I suggest that I feel that a) the Libs deserve NO seats; and b) they owe us something so, damnit, just give us a bonus seat back because these guys have always finagled and lied and we won't be able to recover all the money wasted/stolen/hidden/etc. so just give us a damned seat!
Your comments on the Liberal Party are alarming. His best skill has been to ensured his complete control of the party, but he has failed to safeguard the party for the future.
Analogies to how he has run his government.
Thank you for highlighting Ms Freeland’s history and roll in his government. Too much revisionist history going on this week. She sat at the table loyally while Jane Philpott was given the boot. She showed her morals then, and through repeated loyalty to Trudeau throughout all the scandals. She deserves no applause for her roll in his government.
It’s amazing how the Conservatives have tied the pension can to Singh. The truth is his party is done. If you can’t raise enough money to fight an election despite the fact that your main opponent for that money is in absolute free fall, you are finished as any political force.
I believe that there is some kind of Khalistani connection to Singh's commitment to keeping Trudeau in power. I suspect that there is gang money involved.
Or I have gone over the edge in creating my own conspiracy theory.
The bare minimum MP pension isn't a lot per year. Yes, it's something, but we're talking beer money territory. It takes 19 years to qualify for the max. That's at least 4 but more like 5 or 6 terms, depending. Just FYI for all those freaking out over the Jagmeet.
Excellent point. I can’t say that paying for MP’s pensions is my biggest concern with these federal government goof balls.. What has always seemed disconnected is on one hand complaining about the NDP leaders expensive cars and jewelry and then saying his only reason to prop up Trudeau is wanting to qualify for pension.
Who would want to take over leadership of the party from Trudeau between now and the next election? They risk being n charge during a serious defeat, with what reward? The party could hold them responsible and dump them before another election. Maybe someone with the sort of dedication to party such as Ambrose had to the CPC over personal political ambition. Who would that be?
Excellent Trudeau profile. If Trudeau decides to stay there will be an election in the Spring. If there is a leadership change the election will be in October, with more graft coming the NDP’s way for continued support. Either way the Liberals are done. I think Trump’s recent comments are raining on Freelands leadership hopes, and yes, I think it was Leblanc all along for finance minister, life long buddy, dependable, and Mar-A-Lago companion.
Not an NDP supporter but strategically it makes sense Mr Singh has more political leverage on policy now than he will with a Conservative majority. So makes sense to hold your nose and prop up the minority government if in his position. I don’t buy narrative that it’s all about a pension. He seems to genuinely be trying to push for policies he believes in.
"Taking advantage of others' generosity." I hadn't thought of putting it that way, but you are absolutely right. Not an attractive trait. Another thing: he is always the star in his own second-rate performances. And he only has a couple of scripts (empathy for the unfortunate, partisan boosterism, lamentations for historic wrongs) and they are getting tired. This may be true of all long-serving politicians, but Trudeau's lack of substance is increasingly apparent. Too familiar, perhaps; vaulting ambition with no discernible scaffolding. Years ago, when he was running for the leadership, I covered him at a small event at the Blacksheep Inn, in Wakefield, Que. He spoke about growing up in the area, about his love for the rivers and forests, about the urgent necessity of protecting the environment. He spoke without notes and with passionate urgency _ or a show of passionate urgency. He was captivating. Only when I looked at my notes later did I realize that he really hadn't said much worth reporting.( I think that is still true but I am open to reminders). He was good during the pandemic; he handled Trump with exemplary prudence the first time around. So there's that.
Did you really need 9 years to realize ``his lack of substance is increasingly apparent''. Some of us sussed this out when he was an MP in Papineau at the very beginning of his political career.
Put it another way, had his last name been Côté or Jones, he would still be teaching high school drama somewhere obscure.
I don’t even think he was good during the pandemic. It was a ‘I am perfect’ every time.
What astonishes me is that his lack of substance has been there from the beginning….so I guess voters just wanted a pretty face.
Great comments. Thanks.
I was drawn to “he is always the star in his own second-rate performances.”
At the risk of seeming to be argumentative, perhaps that’s why Trudeau is often lauded for his pandemic response. He basically had the whole communications apparatus at his disposal, with zero competition. If we would have had a normal, properly functioning Parliament and a media that had more insight than what was offered from the steps of Rideau Cottage would we still see Trudeau and his government in the same light?
I would disagree that he was good during the pandemic.
- refused to quarantine travellers from Ground Zero of the pandemic. Called anyone who dared suggest this “racist”.
- gave away our PPE stockpiles to China when it was clear things were going to get bad here.
- entered into a bizarre vaccine partnership with China when our allies and partners were working with western pharmaceutical suppliers to develop the vaccines we have today. Then China freezes us out, making us beg and scrape to get in with the main vaccines our allies had been working on all along. It took Canada months longer to receive vaccines than our allies.
- he tried to end parliamentary oversight at the start of the pandemic.
Trudeau might not have been as bad as Trump (I will give him Operation Warp Speed, although he seems to have memory holed that), but his infatuation with China made him make some massive errors in managing the pandemic here.
Good grief Paul! No wonder he doesn’t return your requests for interviews anymore. Calling out nepo-babies on their nepotism & privileged existence is just not…..cool (?). But I thoroughly enjoyed the read. Keep it up
Thank you for calling out the Prime Minister's dreadful character (and the galling lack of courage on the part of Canadian comers who dilly dally about why they have decided to "move on").
I for one sincerely hope that the Liberals get absolutely pasted during the next election. If they get 35 seats it will be 33 too many.
AC, I enjoyed your comment but I respectfully challenge your mathematical model. I would argue that if they get 35 seats that would be 36 seats too many.
Now, you may ask about my mathematical abilities but I suggest that I feel that a) the Libs deserve NO seats; and b) they owe us something so, damnit, just give us a bonus seat back because these guys have always finagled and lied and we won't be able to recover all the money wasted/stolen/hidden/etc. so just give us a damned seat!
My hope is that both the NDP and the Liberals lose party status and no longer will my tax dollars go to supporting either party.
I don't know why my tax dollar is going to the Bloc, being that it really isn't a federal party.
So, I find your math logic more than acceptable.
Is it just me, or we haven’t heard a peep out of Mélanie Joly throughout this whole kerfuffle...?
I suspect that her handlers told her to not speak and let the rest of the party members implode.
Or no one told her what to say.
Your comments on the Liberal Party are alarming. His best skill has been to ensured his complete control of the party, but he has failed to safeguard the party for the future.
Analogies to how he has run his government.
Thank you for highlighting Ms Freeland’s history and roll in his government. Too much revisionist history going on this week. She sat at the table loyally while Jane Philpott was given the boot. She showed her morals then, and through repeated loyalty to Trudeau throughout all the scandals. She deserves no applause for her roll in his government.
Whew! Great column. He does exude rich kid shallow behaviour. Shameful
It’s amazing how the Conservatives have tied the pension can to Singh. The truth is his party is done. If you can’t raise enough money to fight an election despite the fact that your main opponent for that money is in absolute free fall, you are finished as any political force.
The NDP base likely relates to the notion of putting in time until you qualify for the pension, and does not begrudge him for it.
They might not but I sure as hell do.
I believe that there is some kind of Khalistani connection to Singh's commitment to keeping Trudeau in power. I suspect that there is gang money involved.
Or I have gone over the edge in creating my own conspiracy theory.
Thanks for this. Great perspective as usual.
Could the process as currently constituted block a write-in campaign for Doris Day?
Que sera sera…
The party that rejected the Reform Act and designed a murky leadership selection process deserves what it gets.
Problem is, we're the ones who are getting it.
It would be fairly amusing if a significant number of people supported Donald Trump or Elon Musk for the Liberal leadership.
Musk for sure. I am sure he could afford the entry fee, as well as incentives to get people to vote for him.
And it would be way beyond amusing. I wonder if Musk can get a Canadian passport.
Best summary I have read so far about this nonsense.
He can't leave. He has nowhere to go but the Trudeau Foundation.
And really, are not the foundations of the Foundation shaky as hell? After all, it seems that it depends on money from the Chinese government.
The bare minimum MP pension isn't a lot per year. Yes, it's something, but we're talking beer money territory. It takes 19 years to qualify for the max. That's at least 4 but more like 5 or 6 terms, depending. Just FYI for all those freaking out over the Jagmeet.
Excellent point. I can’t say that paying for MP’s pensions is my biggest concern with these federal government goof balls.. What has always seemed disconnected is on one hand complaining about the NDP leaders expensive cars and jewelry and then saying his only reason to prop up Trudeau is wanting to qualify for pension.
Who would want to take over leadership of the party from Trudeau between now and the next election? They risk being n charge during a serious defeat, with what reward? The party could hold them responsible and dump them before another election. Maybe someone with the sort of dedication to party such as Ambrose had to the CPC over personal political ambition. Who would that be?
Excellent Trudeau profile. If Trudeau decides to stay there will be an election in the Spring. If there is a leadership change the election will be in October, with more graft coming the NDP’s way for continued support. Either way the Liberals are done. I think Trump’s recent comments are raining on Freelands leadership hopes, and yes, I think it was Leblanc all along for finance minister, life long buddy, dependable, and Mar-A-Lago companion.
Not an NDP supporter but strategically it makes sense Mr Singh has more political leverage on policy now than he will with a Conservative majority. So makes sense to hold your nose and prop up the minority government if in his position. I don’t buy narrative that it’s all about a pension. He seems to genuinely be trying to push for policies he believes in.