By Pepper Parr
December 31st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
Well – he does have to go.
When, yesterday would be great if all the baying and howling is any indication as to what the public wants.
He was a great campaigner – not that good a Prime Minister and he certainly didn’t learn all that much when he had the job.
Justin Trudeau has said he would take time to reflect and he should do just that. Were he to throw in the towel today – nothing would change – except for the people who will then start their campaigns to replace him.
No reason for Justin to quit just yet.
Return to the House on the 27th of January which is when the House is due to resume sitting.
That morning Justin could choose to meet with the Governor General and ask that the House be prorogued for four months while the Liberals hold their leadership race.
What does Justin’s future look like – the political career has come to an end.
He isn’t a lawyer so he can’t serve as Counsel to a major law firm. There is no experience in the commercial sector – he can’t add much to a corporate Board of Directors. He might manage to land at some arts organization.
Justin Trudeau has a hard hard year ahead of him.
He won’t go hungry – his Father’s estate assures that he will be able to pay the rent can pay the rent and he still gets to drive the Mercedes.
As for the country – who will the Liberals choose to lead them when a federal election does take place?
Some mention Chrystia Freeland. Send her to the Senate.
Dominic Leblanc? Too close to the Irvings but has been an excellent Public Safety Minister and wpild have to be part of the team that will be in place to deal with Donald Trump.
François-Philippe Champagne – Could certainly do the job.
Mark Carney – let him win an election first.
Nate – was finally made a Cabinet Minister for a portfolio he could make a huge difference with. He has the energy and the temperament needed and he actually knows how to think outside the box. He’s never been part of the party’s inner circle.
The surprise that is ahead of us is Nate Erskine Smith, the current Minister of Housing.
This is the one portfolio that is in desperate need of someone who can take bold, innovative positions on housing.
There are solutions and Erskine Smith has three to maybe four months to show the public what can be done. His return to politics – he did say he was not going to run again – is something he is going to get past his wife.
The work of the government doesn’t stop just because Parliament isn’t sitting.
The challenge for the Liberal Party is to show Canadians that they can lead the country and stand up to Donald Trump and his really stupid, ignorant behaviour. I can’t imagine Americans being proud of the man who is their president.
The challenge for Canadians is to learn from the mistake the Americans made in their choice – we don’t have to be quite as stupid.
Salt with Pepper is an opinion column reflecting the observations and musings of the publisher of the Gazette, an on-line newspaper that is in its 12th year as a news source in Burlington and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
Love to know how many Canadians will admit to voting for Trudeau.
I like the idea that Donald Trump and his ignorant stupid behaviour, and the mistake the Americans made in electing him is a warning that Canadians don’t have to be quite as stupid; which I take to mean that Americans who voted for Trump are stupid and the Canadians who are going to vote for Poilievre are equally as stupid. You can’t possibly mean that?
Editor’s note: Actually that is exactly what I meant. It is an opinion.
Justin Trudeau could (& in my opinion should) decide to stay on and lead his party into an early Spring election, which would absolutely be in the best interests of the longsuffering Canadian electorate. A Liberal leadership race now would be akin to rearranging the “proverbial” deck chairs on the Titanic; simply a waste of time which Canada can ill-afford with the menacing Trump administration soon in power.
The Americans had a preview of Trump’s governing (2016-20) when they voted in November. In contrast, Canadians have only witnessed Poilievre leading the opposition to the Trudeau government. While Conservatives are more aligned ideologically with Republicans, there is little to no basis on which to judge Pierre Poilievre to be like Donald Trump in character. Canada simply cannot do worse than our current Trudeau-fashioned Liberal government, still acting as if they had the majority support of Canadians. Time is up!
Opinion, this current Liberal crew is incapable of leading this country with or without Justin! May the New Year bring a prompt election call.
It does not matter which of those lightweights you pick.After an election the Libs will have few members and may not even be the opposition.Read the polls?