PINDER: The making of a prime minister, the destruction of a country

This is an attempt to understand the life and mindset of Justin Trudeau, as it is in the Fall of 2024.Born to the manor as the oldest of three sons of a Prime Minister, the challenges and expectations of an aloof intellectual father and a troubled mother are distinctive and difficult. From birth, a normal life was unlikely.Before even knowing him, perceptions of others would vary — a mixture of resentment and envy, or the opposite, insincere courting for personal association and self-validation. As for Justin, don’t most of us aspire to meet parental expectations? Not easy for him.It is perhaps understandable that he chose to spend much of his early adult life on the West Coast, as far as possible from Montreal and Ottawa, pursuing a life of pleasure over accomplishment. His education included undergraduate degrees in Literature at McGill and Education at UBC in 1998. He pursued but did not complete an M.A. in environmental geography at McGill after returning to Montreal. The most notable aspect of his teaching career was a January resignation from a prominent Vancouver private school, the unusual timing never explained. Rumours are often unfair and inaccurate, but it is his choice to not elaborate or respond to questions about the timing of his departure.His coronation as the leader of the Liberal Party, advanced by former Prime Minister Chretien, was a “Hail Mary” by Canada's natural governing party, reduced to 34 seats, its lowest number ever. As we know even the most outstanding politicians have a shelf life. This was a big part of Trudeau’s surprise victory in 2015, defeating smart, successful, but unloved Prime Minister Stephen Harper. “Sunny ways” defeated the “sour pickle”. The need for validation was evident when the new Prime Minister spent the next morning glad-handing in the Montreal subway. Presentable, with nice hair, glib and affable, the shiny new candidate was entirely unprepared for the responsibilities of office. The three articulated principles of his government continue to be gender equality, aboriginal reconciliation, and rescuing the planet from another warming cycle.Gender equality crashed early, over the SNC Lavalin corruption and fraud scandal. The prime minister was deemed by the Federal Ethics Commissioner to have violated the Conflict of Interest Act, by attempting to violate the independence of the first aboriginal Minister of Justice (also a woman,) and worse, successfully involving the Clerk of the Privy Council, supposedly a non-political civil servant. Trust broken, both resigned, followed by another leading female cabinet minister.Unusual and disappointing, but more than an early glimpse of the future. Next came allegations of groping a female reporter in his younger days, in British Columbia. No denial or contrition, instead we heard a lecture philosophizing about how incidents can be seen differently by different people.This episode further damaged his gender equality bona fides.The second theme of Truth and Aboriginal Reconciliation also has very mixed reviews. There is no doubt of an ongoing transfer of taxpayer dollars towards a broad range of aboriginal endeavours, perhaps good or otherwise. From a distance, it is difficult to even follow the abundance of programs.His visceral response to the identification of more than 200 underground anomalies near a former residential school near Kamloops damaged his reputation and the cause. Hopping on his aircraft the following day, he kneeled on the ground holding a teddy bear for photo-ops. Not long later, he passed on an important reconciliation event; it eventually emerged that he was surfing at Tofino.Years later, despite substantial funds provided by the federal taxpayers to dig and learn, there has been no verification that the identified entities are remains of bodies. The absence of supporting records of missing children validates growing skepticism.All of this is a curious setback to the primary objective of finding the Truth, and for many Reconciliation has lost its credibility. Can there be Reconciliation without Truth?Worse, his administration has advanced the theme that aboriginals are “victims.” Once you see yourself as a victim, is there a path forward? Isn’t it all someone else’s fault?Without any professional background, or any attempt to verify scientifically, Prime Minister Trudeau believes Canada should be a global leader in emission reductions. Ultimately his escalating carbon tax may be the most significant reason for his impending defeat, as the pollsters and media almost unanimously predict.Leading a cast of fellow traveller ideologues, his “climate crisis” imperative fails logic and common sense on many levels.With less than 2% of global emissions of carbon dioxide, even shutting down the country would go unnoticed within a few years by emissions replaced by ever more coal plants in India and China. This role matters to him, but Canada’s emissions in a global context are not relevant. Germany’s request for liquified natural gas to replace coal and reduce emissions elsewhere while supporting intermittent wind and solar was denied. An unfortunate and likely memorable quotation regarding an Atlantic Canada LNG project — “there is no business case” — as Warren Buffet withdrew billions previously committed.Highlighting his first budget, “a small increase” in taxes on the presumed rich, turned out to be well north of 10 percent. Around this time came another memorable quotation that “budgets balance themselves” ultimately proving to be as silly as it sounded then. Canada’s economic performance during the tenure of this government is at or near the bottom of its members, according to the OECD. As was the case following his father's tenure, Canadians may endure decades of financial sacrifice to repair the balance sheet.Some relished his early energetic bouncing around the world bringing attention to Canada, and his socks. But over time Trudeau has alienated many of our NATO allies, India, and China, the latter openly admired by both Trudeaus, father and son.Having lived up to the often unfair limelight of Trudeau and saving the Liberal Party, now clinging to an office long past his due date, suggests narcissism. Trudeau’s performance illustrates the importance of the electorate examining the background of potential leaders. There are further lessons for all of us. Perceived warmth and caring, sincere or otherwise, cannot match experience and demonstrated judgment. A famous name is often accompanied by self-identity issues. Trudeau exceeded all expectations by becoming the PM, no doubt generating justifiable personal pride.The danger however, is unjustified hubris, very much in evidence over the years and magnified by his unwillingness to accept that his best-before date has arrived. Round trips are likely forthcoming — will the Liberals set a new low for seats won; and will undisclosed information emerge, further tarnishing the Prime Minister? Beliefs, such as the need to remedy a “climate crisis,” no matter how strongly held, require empirical and scientific underpinning. Ultimately respect and stature are a function of performance, not attention from shallow media acolytes.Inevitably hubris leads to a crash — this prime minister is headed towards a much-needed dose of humility. Still a young man with a famous name and unique experience, will he learn and benefit from the downfall of the electoral repudiation that is surely imminent?As one of the most prolific purveyors of progressive poppycock, a role at the United Nations might be a good fit. Good luck to him, and good riddance for the country.

PINDER: The making of a prime minister, the destruction of a country

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