Michael Harris' disenchantment with Justin Trudeau continues to grow. He is particularly bothered by Justin's attempt to soothe the Great Orange Id. He writes:
It is true that Trudeau has vowed to stand up for Canada and the values of this country. But one has to think that defending supply management and the dairy industry against the free trade wet dreams of the state of Wisconsin may not be a noble enough fight to satisfy his critics. What about Trump the bigot and hater — the guy whose own scientists are marching against him as our scientists did against Harper. After all, evolution is only a theory, right?
The political opposition is already smelling blood in the water on bigger files. NDP leader Thomas Mulcair has repeatedly demanded that Trudeau stand up directly and denounce Trump’s “racism and hatred” as embodied in his doomed travel ban directed at Muslims.
Trudeau’s supporters argue, with a degree of honesty and accuracy, that he needs to be careful because of the special economic relationship with America. But according to a poll done for the Globe and Mail, Canadians don’t have much use for the Donald. A majority wants Trudeau to stand up against the US president — even if it leads to a trade war.
Harris contends that what we are seeing is a schizophrenic Trudeau, who stands with a man who stands for the opposite of what the prime minister proclaims:
Trudeau banishes two of his own caucus members after they were accused of unwanted sexual encounters with two female MPs of another party. Trump champions both Roger Ailes and Bill O’Reilly, despite their long and sordid history of viewing women at Fox News as part of their star power perks packages.
Trudeau brought gender balance to his cabinet. Trump’s cabinet looks like a board meeting of the original members of Augusta National Golf Course. Trudeau brings Malala Yousafzai to Parliament Hill and gives her honorary Canadian citizenship. Trump defunds the global maternal health organization (the United Nations Population Fund), and fat shames ex-beauty queen Alicia Machado.
Trudeau proclaims his commitment to protecting the environment, while Trump cancels Obama’s climate change measures and appoints a man to head up the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, whose idea of celebrating Earth Day is re-opening a coal mine.
Dancing with the Donald only leads to disaster. Harris warns Trudeau that Trump " has no friends; just family members, hangers on, and patsies."
Justin should know with whom he's dealing.
Image: CBC
17 comments:
It may be that Michael Harris and the other leaderless detractors should consider that our PM is playing the old man. Ruthlessly.
Could be, lovingit. But his support of the Syria attack, for instance -- without time to consider the evidence -- is troubling.
True, Owen.
This tells me that Trudeau has more in common with Trump than with the rest of us.
http://www.nationalobserver.com/2017/04/21/news/trudeau-government-delays-climate-action-after-oil-patch-lobbying
Zelig Trudeau. Lorne nailed it.
http://politicsanditsdiscontents.blogspot.ca/2017/04/zelig-anyone.html
It's precisely those kinds of decisions which lead to public cynicism about Trudeau, Toby. At that cynicism will eventually catch up with him.
As usual, Toby, Lorne cuts through the fog.
Trump surrounds himself with patsies. I suspect that is precisely what he sees in our prime minister. Trudeau has buckled at the knees time and again when having to choose between the right thing and the expedient alternative. This has occurred with such frequency and regularity that Trudeau seems to walk in his predecessor's shoes.
To Trump this is the scent of blood in the water. I expect he knows that there will always be concessions that can be extracted from Trudeau given the right threats. Trump won't want to make an enemy out of Canada. We're not worth the price. We can, however, be bled and fairly easily. Big threats, little bites complacently endured - that will suffice.
It's all about how you deal with a bully, Mound -- remembering that, under the bluster, there's always a coward.
MoS?
With all due respect, I think you give DJT far too much credit for being able to see anything beyond the end of his own nose. Or bank account. Or ego.
I will stack our PM's qualities and defects against DJT's any day of the week and I'm 100% certain that the majority of the earth's citizenry would, as well. There just aren't that many RWNJs in the world - they're an abberation and a blight - politically speaking. The majority of people are 'perishing for lack of leadership' and are therefore prone to Don the Con types. Hence, it is what it is, right?
PM Trudeau, and his entire family for that matter - because we know that politics is a family matter - aren't, like democracy itself, perfect - breaking! - but they're the best we've got.
The world knows it - history will record it, and Trump has shown he doesn't have a clue about what he's dealing with,at any given time, or what governing even looks like - because he's too wrapped up hate-watching CNN and commiserating with yet another "Pussy-Grabbing Pervert"tm., to accomplish one damn worthwhile thing.
Sheesh. Give the son a break, you guys...it's almost if you all had some kind of weird resentment against the Trudeau's generational commitment to public service.
Brother.
liberalandlovingit!
yes, Owen, and the cowardly bully always has an expectation of being able to prey on the perceived cowardice of others. It's a bluff but not until the bluff is called will the bully be thwarted.
Owen, regarding my first comment here, (I believe there is another in the pipe)
the idea of..."playing the old man. Ruthlessly", came from a commenter at
Big City Lib Strikes Back, whose name escapes. I just happen to heartily agree with said commenter.
It is my sincere hope that imitation is, indeed, the truest form of flattery.
I've somehow acquired a habit of remembering things almost verbatim, making it sound plagiaristic.
From here on, H/Ts will be noted, and while my only files and tags are in the grey matter that God gave me to reason with - I shall do my best to remember names.
Some days it will, no doubt, be - 'a person on the www.'
Some files and tags are hilarious; and not in my repertoire.
Gotta go with what you have - and not with what you want to have.
Have a good one,
lovingit!
Owen?
This is in response to DL's post @ 2:49.
My last comments were sent to you - one before and one after, his.
Now, you wouldn't be editing this writer, like thwap does, would you?
Because that would be a shame.
In Canada, of all places.
from an almost former fan,
a no-one, trying to tell everyone
this girl's view,
lovingit78!
The motto around our house, lovingit, is: "You do what you can for as long as you can."
Meaning?
Meaning we're doing the best we can.
Thank you, Owen.
That's what I've been waiting for.
doing what I can
for as long as I can,
lovingit78!
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