While we rarely waste time reading much of Rosie DiManno’s columns in the Toronto Star, her piece Friday on Justin Trudeau was a rare treat. Maybe it is because they were both brought up Catholic, that it seemed to be a fair fight. Man, did she skewer him!
But Justin’s naiveté is the least of his problems. While we do not see his vanity in the same way Rosie can, we will take her word for it that he is vain. Whether Justin is callow though is a matter of debate. He is not unfledged or immature. People can appear that way in politics sometimes as they get beyond their depth of thinking on a subject. It happens to all of us. As a journalist, Rosie is a good researcher and before taking a position has the opportunity to research a subject to a level with which she can be comfortable. You hardly get that opportunity in politics in the middle of a scrum.
Pierre Trudeau felt the same frustration Justin must feel at the nagging of the news media—much of which is unfair. Justin has yet to learn the trick of turning the stupid questions to his advantage—not that his father ever did. While Justin keeps his cool with the media, he tends to go too far with his answers. In a scrum, it pays to be brief.
Frankly, Cardinal Collins had some very bad advice on his comments about the Pope and Justin’s ill-considered screening of new Liberal candidates. The Cardinal would have been more appropriate quoting Abraham Lincoln about the rights of man. Justin is way out of line with his party in what he is doing. His dictates about what Liberals can and cannot believe in is beyond the pale.
What parliament needs so desperately is people who can think for themselves, who can contribute to solutions, who are not ideologues but free thinkers, and, yes Rosie, can make sure that women’s rights are protected.
But people should never be restricted in our willingness to listen, to hear new ideas and new thinking on old problems. Yes, the current services to women in this country are unfettered and unequal. And that is wrong and needs to be repaired. The Conservatives are soon going to present their solution to open prostitution in this country and just wait until we get into those arguments.
But what Rosie DiManno does not admit is that Justin Trudeau can mature as a politician. His imperiousness can be softened. He can become a better leader. We might get annoyed with him but have not given up on him yet.
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Copyright 2014 © Peter Lowry
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