Trudeau: Liberal star shines less brightly
OTTAWA: Justin Trudeau’s golden-boy image was blotted by ethics lapses and scandals going into Monday’s Canadian elections, but he managed to secure a second term to build on his past achievements - albeit with a weakened minority government. The first-born son of late prime minister Pierre Trudeau had swept to power in a landslide in 2015 with a mop of dark curly hair and confident swagger, jumping into crowds to take selfies with adoring young fans. Four years later, at 47, he faced a barrage of criticism on the campaign trail, and even threats forcing him to appear at a rally in a bulletproof vest.
As a self-declared feminist, his cabinet was equally split with 15 men and 15 women in his first term, during which he resettled tens of thousands of Syrian migrants. He also legalized cannabis, held a public inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women, and passed legislation permitting medically assisted suicide. “Trudeau’s great strength is his positive message,” University of Montreal researcher Jocelyn Coulon told AFP. “It’s all about openness, tolerance and respect for diversity, at a time when public discourse has become bigoted and xenophobic.”
Trudeau dynasty
The world watched with interest, even admiration, as Trudeau proclaimed in 2015: “Canada is back!” “Why can’t he be our president?” shouted a Rolling Stone magazine cover featuring Trudeau. This election, former US president Barack Obama endorsed him, calling him an “effective leader who takes on big issues like climate change.” “The world needs his progressive leadership now,” Obama tweeted.
The Trudeaus, with their political talent and film-star good looks, have often been compared to the Kennedys in the United States. Pierre Trudeau, who was prime minister from 1968 to 1979 and 1980 to 1984, established the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and preserved national unity against Quebec separatists. He also decriminalized homosexuality and pushed for the bilingualism and multiculturalism that have become integral parts of Canadian identity. Justin’s birth on December 25, 1971, made frontpage news across Canada. His mother Margaret’s partying with the Rolling Stones and her 1984 divorce from Pierre a rare sensational scandal in Canada - was also fodder for the tabloids. Coming late to politics after working as a snowboard instructor, bartender, bouncer and teacher, Justin Trudeau was first elected in 2008 to the House of Commons to represent a gritty, working-class Montreal neighborhood.
Trudeau’s admission that he had smoked cannabis after becoming an MP raised eyebrows, and his detractors accuse him of being an intellectual lightweight. Nevertheless, in his first term, his Liberal Party ratified free trade agreements with Europe and Pacific nations, and negotiated a new continental trade pact with the United States and Mexico. — AFP