National Post (National Edition)
The Trudeaus are not Canada’s first political dynasty
Re: Trudeau’s Greatest Challenge, Michael Den Tandt, Oct. 20. While Justin Trudeau will be the first son of a prime minister to hold that office this does not represent “Canada’s first political dynasty” as suggested by Michael Den Tandt. We have had father-son premiers (W.A.C. and Bill Bennett in British Columbia) and MPs (Elmer and Peter MacKay in Nova Scotia, Chuck and Mark Strahl in Chilliwack, B.C.). Other family dynasties are Vancouver mayor/MLA/MP Gerry McGeer and his nephew MLA/minister Pat McGeer.
And if the definition of “dynasty” were extended to include spouses (as with the Clintons next door), there are even more examples. In B.C. alone, we’ve had MPs Dona and Chuck Cadman, MPs Nina and Gurmant Grewal, MLAs Gordon Wilson and Judi Tyabji, mayor Derek and MLA Kathy Corrigan, and more.
As a lifelong Liberal campaigner I’m proud of Pierre Trudeau’s contributions as Canada’s PM. I look forward to his son adding to — even surpassing — that legacy in the years ahead. Even if they’re not technically Canada’s first political dynasty. the grand mufti of Jerusalem by the side of Hitler, the call has been to kill Jews. Until the Muslim voice changes, death and terror will reign in the region. Re: The World Is A Scary Place, Terry Glavin, Oct. 22. Justin Trudeau is one fast actor — it took him only one day as prime ministerdesignate to prove the Conservatives’ attack adds he is not ready to be PM were spot on. His panicky, unstudied, rush to cancel Canada’s combat mission against ISIL is dead wrong on several counts.
Not only are we breaking faith by abandoning our friends and coalition allies at a critical stage, we are giving encouragement to ISIL and extreme Muslim groups everywhere that Canada is now a soft target that can be used as a willing dupe for the export of violent jihadism. We are also shamefully deserting the trusting, undertrained Iraqi and Kurdish forces, and attendant civilian communities, that have come to rely on us for guidance and protection.
Trudeau’s action also serves notice we care nothing for the wholesale slaughter and displacement of the innocent Christian communities to whom the Levant has been home for millennia. Fully supporting the overwhelming number of loyal Canadian Muslims is no excuse for failure to recognize jihadi extremism is the West’s greatest and growing, peril. Worst of all is his obvious predilection for making offthe-cuff critical decisions based on personal feelings without proper study, coordination, or involvement of the experts. Prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau wants to stop the Royal Canadian Air Force from attacking the Islamic State of Iraq & the Levant. That will turn Canada into a nation of national cowards. Thank God the Russians stepped in. Re: Adding Up The Results, Matt Gurney, Oct. 21. Isn’t it interesting: the Tories win their majority in 2011 with, 39.62 per cent of the popular vote, and it is declared illegitimate by Canada’s chattering classes. The Liberals win their majority in this latest election, with 39.5 per cent of the popular vote, and it is declared a landslide. Seems
like it all depends on your point of view. Re: Fomenting Anti-Muslim Sentiment, Fred Litwin, Oct. 16.