On September 27th 2012 - Sue's Blog predicted that Justin Trudeau would be the next Prime Minister.
There were 20 reasons given for this call - some of which dealt directly with who I thought Trudeau was and where he came from.
What that post did not deal with were possible weaknesses. I believe the stated strengths noted in the 2012 post are proving to have merit and now we need to look at what weaknesses are there and how Trudeau can rise to strengthen them.
As a public figure - I like the way he carries himself and that will reflect on Canada and her people as a whole. I do not know him personally and perhaps never will. Some federal Liberal Party stalwarts remain and they will not find memories of my criticisms in the past pleasant. Be that as it may - Trudeau is a new leader and a new Prime Minister - I can neither judge him by his colleagues nor of ever-present partisans who reside in all parties.
I am a Canadian citizen and I like to participate - usually causing politicians to avoid rather than engage. This unfortunately dismisses real and valid points and policy suggestions that I and others like me have. Trudeau will be faced with many people like me and it will be instructional to see how he and his Cabinet respond. I hold out hope that this leader will draw from society - will seek to listen with non-partisan ears - and truly unite Canadians.
The election win was a combination of people wanting to get rid of Harper and of choosing the alternative that provided the most potential.
There is no doubt that when Tom Mulcair listened to or participated in the decision to attack Trudeau versus choosing to raise his profile from Opposition leader to the nations Prime Minister - he and the NDP lost. Conversely when Trudeau and his team chose to take the road of answering critics head on by offering reasoned, calm, and modern thinking - he lead the party to victory.
The media - in their usual - deer in headlights response to an unexpected result - chattered and giggled about how the Niqab killed the NDP. Not only was that wrong - it was illogical. Trudeau took the same position on the Niqab as Mulcair - yet took ownership of Quebec.
Journalists on the Hill had bought into the "just not ready" theatrics which helped in their defence of propaganda coverage dictated by Stephen Harper. The five questions - no follow up rule was juvenile and mainstream media sucked it up in an equally juvenile and unprofessional manner. Andrew Coyne's very public sulking at the end of the campaign - added fuel to the fire that they all had bosses to listen to. Then in a very apparent/non-transparent way - we were all left to pity them.
Now the media floodgates are open - they are all over Trudeau and his Cabinet. Tripping and giggling at their regained power. The very same day - they failed to scrum Harper and let Rona Ambrose control the number of questions permitted.
Canada is a geographically large and culturally diverse nation. Our confederation continues to be challenged by obvious problems that politicians have yet to address - let alone improve. If and when a leader has the courage to deal with these problems - our confederation may permanently remove the threat to separate by any province.
On Wednesday I watched the Cabinet unfold with millions of other Canadians. For the most part I believe Trudeau ticked most of the important boxes and as he said "it is 2015". Gender equality in Parliament is important and there was no reason based on qualifications - that it should not have been achieved. There was also a great representation of age and experience. New ideas versus tried and true policy will provide great debate at the Cabinet table.
In all the newness that is Justin Trudeau - in all the forward looking that is Justin Trudeau there remains an antiquated view of regional representation in Cabinet. It is the final bastion of Upper and Lower Canada. It can be argued that we got Harper because the West (primarily the prairies) wanted in and they seen the Reform/Alliance as the way to get there.
If there is any such thing as "Old Stock Canadian" thinking it is geographic not racist and it is most assuredly the position that Ontario and Quebec are the most important pieces of geography in the country and also the most needy people when it comes to Cabinet placements.
We are a confederation of provinces - joined to form a Country based on common interests. All MP's are concerned with homelessness, affordable housing, health care, education, justice, transportation, taxation, security, and sovereignty - therefore all are representatives of these fundamentals. Cabinet should be utilized to deal with regional issues. This should not be based on population but rather on geography, assets, and particular needs.
If Ontario's focus is on the auto sector, banking, transit, manufacturing, and immigration - surely five competent MP's placed into Cabinet should be able to represent this. Likewise with all provinces and the North. A combination of population, geography, industrial sectors and cultural issues should be at the forefront of Cabinet appointments.
If we cannot have an equal, elected, and effective Senate - we must certainly strive to level the Cabinet playing field.
If Ontario has 11 Cabinet members to represent its interests there is no doubt that policy direction will favour that province. Quebec holding 6 posts and the Prime Minister means it has plenty of people to speak. 18 of 31 Ministers held by Upper and Lower Canada means that economic growth, population growth, and social growth will be dominated by these provinces. The fact that mainstream media - more often that not - refers to Atlantic Canada, Western Canada, Territories, Ontario and Quebec when describing our country demonstrates the real problem in identity and regional preferences in our country.
By reducing Ontario and Quebec's representation in Cabinet to 10 from 18 - would allow all provinces and the Territories to at least have 2 Cabinet posts. This better reflects Canada and its confederation.
This is a weakness in Trudeau. He needs to look outside the population box to unite the provinces and territories in a real partnership. It is outdated, regressive, and divisive - it must be corrected. If 8 provinces and 3 Territories feel a Cabinet direction is favouring the growth of Quebec and Ontario at the cost of the other 11 then real action could be taken.
The real and obnoxious attention to Quebec and Ontario was most recently witnessed in the election. All leaders with the exception of Elizabeth May (who concentrated efforts in BC) doted on the neediness of Upper and Lower Canada. It is time for real leadership on this most troubling and chronic problem.
If Canada continues to govern itself based on the preservation, growth, and dominance of 2 provinces we will cease to be a real confederation.
British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the North are the sea borders of our country and are bountiful in natural ocean resources. These resources being owned and managed by the federal government is absolutely wrong and patently unfair. More than this - Cabinets dominated by central Canadian MP's have either neglected or mismanaged these resources at a unfathomable loss to the affected populations.
The fishery, oil and gas, and search and rescue assets have been crucified by Cabinets dominated by people who have no clue about them or real interest in the fall-out of critical errors. The House of Commons - dictated to by population representation - can kill a small province with one vote.
For all the modern and youthful thinking of the new Prime Minister - Justin Trudeau demonstrated significant weakness in the area of Cabinet representation. Ironically 5 of the 36 seats held by the Liberals were from Newfoundland and Labrador. We represented 1/7th of what they had. What are we now?
If somebody does not deal with the inequalities in Cabinet representation and provinces continue to suffer losses in population growth, economics, and industry - there will come a time when people want out not in.
I wait to see if our new Prime Minister recognizes and then attempts to deal with this.
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