tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post535048664962522286..comments2024-03-26T20:19:35.180-04:00Comments on Northern Reflections: Not On His Father's TermsOwen Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-56795577040428822552016-03-30T03:22:04.049-04:002016-03-30T03:22:04.049-04:00I'll look into her stuff, Steve.I'll look into her stuff, Steve.Owen Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-62892507753591921272016-03-29T22:24:53.300-04:002016-03-29T22:24:53.300-04:00Owen if you want to be uplifted by the human poten...Owen if you want to be uplifted by the human potential of a novel written well before we needed an esape fantasy read Kim, its fantastic and as real as an election promise.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14162783936999869984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-29439148643518217202016-03-29T15:11:56.746-04:002016-03-29T15:11:56.746-04:00Trudeau Sr. was an amazingly complex man, Mound. W...Trudeau Sr. was an amazingly complex man, Mound. When I read Martin's piece, I thought of my relationship with my father and my relationship with my three sons. My father was a mechanical engineer who thought like an engineer. But he insisted that I should think my own thoughts -- even when they came into conflict with his own. We had our disagreements. But we survived and I loved him dearly.<br /><br />I try to remember that when I deal with my own kids. It's the father-son relationship that is really complex. And each son has to try and navigate his way through it -- and become a person in his own right.Owen Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-45864346354126245402016-03-29T14:03:59.232-04:002016-03-29T14:03:59.232-04:00I find Martin's analysis pretty facile. Yes, J...<br />I find Martin's analysis pretty facile. Yes, JT dealt with a broken home and a mom with mental problems but that isn't especially unusual, unfortunately. And, yes, he did travel to the poshest part of Vancouver to teach elementary school but I can't see that as hugely character building.<br /><br />Martin's take consigns a lot of PET's complexity to obscurity. After I read it, I just glanced at my own bookshelf. There I found some of elder's writings from Cite Libre, an anthology of his essays in "Trudeau, Federalism and the French Canadians," his memoirs aptly entitled "Memoir," and a few biographies including "Trudeau, Against the Current," "Trudeau's Shadow," "Trudeau and Our Times," "Shrug, Trudeau in Power," and "Just Watch Me, The Life of Pierre Elliot Trudeau, 1968-2000." Some of them are critical but, taken together, they provide a fairly detailed and balanced look at Justin's father. I also found a copy of Trudeau's address, "A mess that deserves a big NO" in which he denounced the Meech Lake/Charlottetown Accord initiative of Mulroney.<br /><br />You cannot read these and conclude that the father is somehow less complex that the son. While Justin was at school and then teaching his father was editor of Cite Libre and in a protracted battle against Duplessis. The Jesuits taught him to put reason over passion in his dealings. It wasn't, as widely assumed, that the father wasn't passionate. He was, enormously so. That's what drove him to achieve such things as patriating the constitution and implementing the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, a legislative enactment unparalleled in the history of Canada's prime ministers. This is all swept under Martin's carpet.<br /><br />Then we have C-51, BDS, the Saudi arms deal, support for pipelines and bitumen trafficking. I suppose that's complex although the significance is pretty straightforward to me.The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-71949557450993345632016-03-29T13:13:24.621-04:002016-03-29T13:13:24.621-04:00Two other big question marks, Pam.Two other big question marks, Pam.Owen Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-68142245338535762382016-03-29T13:10:57.496-04:002016-03-29T13:10:57.496-04:00The Saudi arms deal is deeply troubling, Pam. And ...The Saudi arms deal is deeply troubling, Pam. And I'm waiting to see where he stands on the environment. His first budget -- despite Kevin Page's warning -- is a good first step. We'll have to see where he goes from here.Owen Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-73974412975617379842016-03-29T13:10:18.880-04:002016-03-29T13:10:18.880-04:00I agree Owen. I'm waiting to see what he does ...I agree Owen. I'm waiting to see what he does with CETA and TPP.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07842215982128591742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-77768827998561944832016-03-29T12:49:53.783-04:002016-03-29T12:49:53.783-04:00It's very tempting Owen, to compare Justin wit...It's very tempting Owen, to compare Justin with his father, especially for us of a certain age who were there when Pierre Trudeau was PM.It is better to give Justin more time, but I find even in these early days I am judging some of the decisions he has made. Some I agree with others I don't.I think after he has a few years behind him, people will have a fuller picture of who this new PM is.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07842215982128591742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-57437388239820082012016-03-29T11:55:07.346-04:002016-03-29T11:55:07.346-04:00I am withholding judgement on Justin, Lorne. Howev...I am withholding judgement on Justin, Lorne. However, at this point, I get the feeling that he is both his parents' son.Owen Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-13965841787253292252016-03-29T11:24:42.127-04:002016-03-29T11:24:42.127-04:00I suspect it is much better, Owen, to have a reade...I suspect it is much better, Owen, to have a reader of novels than an ascetic philosopher king as our leader.Lornehttp://www.politicsanditsdiscontents.blogspot.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-61812285272976344532016-03-29T09:54:07.638-04:002016-03-29T09:54:07.638-04:00I have to admit, Steve, that I am unfamiliar with ...I have to admit, Steve, that I am unfamiliar with his or her work.Owen Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-75993578292294258152016-03-29T08:32:04.495-04:002016-03-29T08:32:04.495-04:00I love the concept of a leader who takes experienc...I love the concept of a leader who takes experience from fiction. Speaking of which he could do worse than to have a converstation with <a href="http://globalovethinktank.blogspot.ca/2016/03/mars-gets-game-of-thrones-treatment.html" rel="nofollow">Kim Stanley Robinson.</a>Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14162783936999869984noreply@blogger.com