Justin Trudeau’s hands-on approach to politics
Incoming prime minister’s ‘sunny ways’ include an exuberant physicality
Poor John Turner.
The former prime minister made a few off-colour jokes and patted cabinet minister Iona Campagnolo’s bottom and not even his claim to being a “tactile” politician could save him from ridicule.
Now, he finds — in prime ministerdesignate Justin Trudeau — a leader who makes Turner look like bland old Mackenzie King as he takes tactility to a whole new level.
The latest outbreak of Trudeau’s hands-on approach to politics occurred Tuesday when he greeted Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne with an embrace that would have put Bogey and Bacall or the smouldering principals of The English Patient to shame.
In the photo, the PM-to-be, with his tie rakishly askew, has his left hand on the premier’s rib cage. He is leaning in. His eyes are riveted on hers. She is bending slightly back, as if in mild alarm, her right hand on his left forearm.
A radio reporter apparently timed the Liberal tête-à-tête at about five photographer-pleasing seconds.
To those accustomed to the stiff, robotic era of outgoing Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the exuberant physicality of Justin Trudeau is the next best thing to a Canadian version of a bunga-bunga party, the orgiastic gatherings periodically convened by former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to allay the stresses of high office.
The gallery of Trudeau’s dramatic poses with women is watched with sour disapproval by conservative bloggers — who expressed horror at his kissing a bride when he encountered her and her attendants, and when an older photograph surfaced of Justin happily posing with a bare-breasted young woman during a Pride parade.
Patrick Gossage, founder of the consulting firm Media Profile and a former press secretary to Justin Tru- deau’s father, Pierre, when the latter was prime minister, doubts Trudeau the younger will change much even after he’s sworn in.
“One of the things the media loved about (Pierre) Trudeau was his unpredictability,” Gossage told the Star. “(Justin) certainly inherited his father’s, er, physicality, I guess is the word. Pierre did less hugging. Though people definitely wanted to hug him.”
Gossage doubts Justin Trudeau will want or need to temper his impulses with the gravitas of state.
“I think it’s his trademark. I think physicality is a Trudeau trademark.
“The camera loves him. The camera loved his father . . . The differences between the images of Trudeau during this campaign compared to the awful stiff pictures of the other two I’m convinced helped Canadians get to know him and like him and want to vote for him.”
In fact, Gossage said, the power of images is so great that they define political leaders and often take a great deal to dislodge.
It will require a lot of rain, say, to prompt Canadians to think of Justin as anything but a retailer of hugs and “sunny ways.”
“Those are the images that are going to remain in people’s minds and help him retain his popularity.”
Gossage said being “touchy-feely” and working crowds was part of Justin Trudeau’s success.
“I think his open, friendly, almost aggressively friendly image helped him get elected and will continue to help him maintain his popularity,” he said.
“Is the German chancellor going to get that treatment? You never know. He will certainly charm her. There’s no doubt about that.”