Canada General Discussion (2019-)

[Smid]

So is it just me, or does Trudeau seem to completely have lost his grip in the latest few days? Expelling Wilson-Raybould and Philpott was bad enough, but threatening to sue Andrew Scheer and answering the questions from opposition parties about the scandals with "I have a female minister of agriculture" seems unbelievably counterproductive.

Is he trying to bring his party down with him?

Would not surprise me in the least. This political crisis is 100% of his own devising. I think he has two very fatal flaws. It seems to me, that when frustrated or disappointed, he loses his cool. The second? Trudeau does not always accurately think through the ultimate consequences of his actions. Trudeau has offset these personal weaknesses like a lot of people normally and reasonably would, which is by relying heavily on shrewder advisers. But this scandal really strikes at the heart of that, costing him the service of trusted aides. I think the head of the civil service has been forced to resign, right? Trudeau has been left more and more to his own judgment.

Canada’s politics are possibly the least polarized in the Western world. Liberals successfully appeal to business-minded voters; Conservatives effectively compete for ethnic minorities. Justin Trudeau marketed himself as a radically different kind of politician: open, transparent, feminist. For him to be seen browbeating an indigenous woman to protect politically wired insiders from facing the legal consequences of their wrongdoing... I mean, it's not a good look for him and his brand.

David Frum makes a very similar point in The Atlantic, so you're in good company.

[Smid]

Paul Wells[/url], who I respect a lot

Yeah, I think Paul Wells is my preferred Canadian political journo. I think the fact that it seems that partisans on all sides thinks he's biased against their party indicates his impartiality, and I really enjoy his writing style, logical thought process and I think the angle he takes is usually correct (even when I don't want it to be). He's also so well-connected, that he usually has the inside story. When I'm talking to friends here about Canadian politics, I'll usually start by sending them a Wells article and telling them that if they want just one source, he's the best (but that they'd be served by following a few others, as well).