This is how the Cons and their supporters in the MSM like to portray Justin Trudeau.
As a hopelessly idealistic Don Quijote tilting at windmills, with promises that are made to be broken.
And dreams that are too big for Canada.
But what I would say to them is this: why would you make the people of a big country dream so small?
Because I could never live in their grim little Con Canada, and why I like to portray Justin Trudeau like this...
Not because I think he's some sort of god, but because he seems to be leading us in the right direction, and has invited us all to dream big.
Encouraged us to believe that we can be better than we were during the dark years of the Harper regime.
His promise to make Canada good again, as Richard Gwyn writes, is in a country like this one, a radical political choice.
What Trudeau’s Christmastime statement thus amounted was his declaration that even if he has to step back — quite a way back, indeed — he will still hold to his ideas and dreams.
As time passes, more and more Canadians may come to regard such talk as irrelevant to our economic reality. Some may laugh at such pretensions. Alternatively, many may refuse to give up the Canada that has come back to them.
In our history, it’s one of the most radical political choices we have ever had to make.
And I like a prime minister who challenges us to be decent and idealistic in an ugly cynical world.
A leader who has big dreams and makes big promises...
Because I would rather reach for the sky of better world, and fall short, than not try at all.
So when I see the Con media trying to bring Justin Trudeau down to earth, by claiming among other things, that failing to meet a refugee deadline is a broken promise.
I don't think they understand that it's the challenge that counts...
It's not about numbers, it's about people. And about opening our hearts to be big enough to help them.
Something that the ghastly Con Michelle Rempel doesn't seem to understand.
And as Andrew Mitrovica writes, neither does the corporate media.
Trudeau shouldn’t be chided for missing the deadline. He should, instead, be commended for setting it. In doing so, he signaled to Canadians, the world and the often slow-moving machinery of government the urgent need to tackle a hellish refugee crisis that, arguably, was the West’s creation in the first place. Braying about the deadline, it seems to me, misses this larger and much more salient point.
So pay no mind to the nattering media ninnies, Mr. Trudeau. In due time, all those Syrians will find homes in Canada because so many Canadians have opened their own homes, hearts and wallets to help our new neighbours – with or without a deadline.
Who are trying to drag us down to Rempel's level. Or to the level of her fallen leader...
Trying to shrink our dreams, or make us as small and disgusting as he was.
And all I can say is, if they think they can take our Canada away after all that we had to do to get it back, they've got another thought coming.
Because I'm quite sure that like me, millions and millions of Canadians will not give it up easily.
I like this New Canada and the Trudeau challenge.
In fact, in that regard, I would even say this:
If the Great Polar Bear God of the Great White North would only cooperate...
Stopped frolicking in the flowers.
And sent me some snow.
You know, the cold white stuff.
I would declare this moment in our history to be the best I've ever known...
A chance to reach for the sky and dream big again.
A chance to finish off the Cons once and for all.
The chance of a lifetime to help build a better Canada...
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22 comments:
Beautiful photos! Yes since October 19 I've felt like the polar bear frolicking in the meadow, as my heart soars like the snow boarder I am only in my dreams. You are right Simon, we are heading in the right direction. Feels great!
TS
"Over promise and under deliver..."
If anybody should know the meaning of that phrase, it would be an utter asshole like rimpel. The whole CON s.o.p. for almost ten (10--count 'em!) years was to do that very thing or promise one thing and then do the exact opposite out of pure malice and aforethought.
That the shitty, worn-out excuse for media we have here in Canada now is attacking Trudeau the way that they incessantly are should be no surprise, Simon. Just look at who owns them...follow the money trail there, little buckaroo!
Is morally depleted Rempel really a woman???????? Doubtful!!!!!! FS
Thank you for this, Simon......sums up exactly how I feel, maybe not so much for me, but for my children and grandchildren and farther down the line! I may not always agree with the new Government on certain actions or policies, but at least we are heading in a new direction.....I at least have HOPE!
Better to be Don Quixote than heart 3 sizes too small Grinch.
Thinking small, having no heart and doing jack shit could be the CPC/Reformer motto.
Thinking small is why they only focused on natural resources. Not adding value by refining it or keeping manufacturing or technical services or any technology which produce better/more stable jobs. Why they never wanted to act on Canada's aging infrastructure and only kept shoving tax cuts they would tax back. Why they killed national daycare and just handed out a near worthless tax credit. Why they wanted to blow a large chunk of Canadian money on the near worthless F-35 instead on pretty much anything else. Why they only cared about Canadians if they voted CPC and even then only if you were rich.
You actually underscore part of what differentiates the old true Canadian conservativism from the Harperian/Reformist version that the CPC embodies. The CPC version is an incredibly selfish, self oriented driven, anti-government ideologically driven party. The old conservativism the PCPC represented was far more communal in its nature, believed that government is a positive tool if one that needed to be not let to run wild (which is a very different mindset than the CPC's despite what some might see as a superficial similarity), that government has a role in building and shaping our business sector including with things like Crown Corporations, and respected the core Canadian progressive social values. This is why I've always made a point of differentiating the CPC and Harperism from the PCPC and Toryism, because there really is a sharp difference between them, and the CPC/HArperism is arguably a nhilisitic minded kind of party always not just seeing the glass as half empty but wants to empty the glass even if it means having to shatter said glass. The idea that government was a public trust for them to respect, protect, and provide good government of was clearly fundamentally alien to their/Harper thinking.
What we are seeing from the Trudeau government is something profoundly alien and hostile to that CPC/Harper mindset and its corporate allies in the MSM these days, which also in these days includes their owners abusing said ownership to promote said political agenda, something we never used to see so overtly except in a couple of well known papers who made no secret of their political alignments editorially and even those papers kept it more on the editorial page and not in the newsrooms, unlike these days. We are seeing a mentality of positive change, or believing we really can make things better instead of falling into the apathy of disinterest that the CPC fostered. The Libs focus on the Syrian refugee relocation both in the election and as its first major action as government illustrates this, which I suspect is one of the reasons why that promise is under such attack because they do not dare let this get any positive focus because that could/would create more desire and momentum for greater positive action by this government.
Part of what is making the Trudeau government look so good for so many Canadians these days is not just how wide the contrast is from the CPC, but how it showed the CPC really was anti-Canadian values as most in this nation have understood them, including our traditional conservatives. The idea that Trudeau and his government are more interested in action and following through with real work on their political commitments instead of simply playing the CPC PR game is still sinking in for many in the media I've noticed, but I do agree that they are making a major mistake in thinking this line of attack is going to actually hurt Trudeau.
We finally have a government whose values reflect the majority of Canadians, acting like a government that reflects those values, and this is going to be a very hard pill for the CPC and its allies to swallow, and an even greater one for them to counter. Especially as over the next year or two the true details of how the Harper CPC government was really operating comes out from under that years long cone of silence that was the former government.
Thank you Simon for your posts. I love them all. Yes Simon, We are finally going in the right direction.
that polar bear picture is fabulous and that is why we like to dream big.
dreaming big is better than dreaming small. it sets goals and you know you might not make them, but it will be fun trying and if you make them then its a huge sensation of success. its so much more fun to dream of great things and then give it a try.
Michelle doesn't get it. The cons didn't deliver anything but misery and anti democratic laws and gave us nightmares.
What big dreams and plans do the Liberals have for Canada (other than big deficits)? They haven't made many promises to break. "Sunny ways" isn't a big national dream; it's a vague slogan with no substance.
hi TS...I'm glad you liked those photos, I thought they both expressed how I feel. I can't believe how negative some people in this country are, but I'm not one of them.
If Justin can stay the course, we are definitely heading in the right direction...
hi anon...yes you're quite right. When you think about it what did the Cons deliver in all their time in office? And why did the Con media decide to attack the government like a pack of rabid hyenas now? When for ten years they stroked the Cons like kittens. But of course you're right, they are mere puppets in the hands of their money bag masters and the should be ashamed of themselves...
hi anon...oh yes she is definitely a woman, but what she lacks any kind of political morality or human empathy. It always has been, it is, and it always will be, only about her....
hi Bill...I too would like to see our bombing end, and I don't understand why we seem to be stepping it up, rather than turning it down. But maybe the Liberals have agreed to keep our planes there until our agreement runs out in March. But yes, the sooner the better...
hi Kathleen...thanks I'm glad you liked the post. I'm taking a bit of heat from my friends who think that I've turned into a softy, or worse a Trudeau groupie. But although I too have my differences with his Liberals, his idealism has inspired me, and as you say we are heading in the right direction...
hi Dan...I completely agree. I'm tired of seeing Canadians acting like mice, and thinking so small. It was a brutish and heartless regime, they disgraced us at home and in the eyes of the world. And anyone who can still defend them must either be a Con fanatic, or devoid of all morality, or out of their minds...
hi Scotian...as you know I have always considered the Cons to be more like an alien cult than a Canadian party. Their ideas, their attack ads, were all imported from the U.S. And the only reason more Canadians don't realize that is because they've forgotten that the Progressive Conservatives may have been bad, but they were never as bad or as un-Canadian as the Cons.
And yes, I am hoping that the Liberals can find some excuse to investigate that foul regime, for goodness know what they have been up to, and I'm sure some of it at least must be criminal. But I have been monitoring the Cons pretty closely and I'm happy to report that they are now in the second stage of grief. First there was shock and anger, and now depression is creeping in. Let's see if we can make them even more depressed....
hi anon...thanks for those encouraging words. I'm finding it a little strange defending a prime minister instead of attacking one as I have for so long. But I'm enjoying the feeling, and we are heading in the right direction at last....
hi e.a.f...I completely agree. We are a massive country, and still a relatively young one. So we should think big, for as you say, if you don't set yourself ambitious goals you will never know how good you can be. As for Rempel, I think she's finally realized that she's going nowhere. From what I hear her attempts to stick out from the Con or herd, is making her more enemies than friends...
hi anon...well let's see what happens. The Cons had ten years, the Liberals have only had just over two months in power. Ask me the same question in another six months and I'll have a more complete answer. But all I can say is that Trudeau has got off to a very good start, he's about twenty points more popular than when he was elected, and with that kind of support
he can do just about anything...
Works for me!!!
sunny ways is much better than the Grinch who stole Christmas. sunny ways is just a better outlook. Sunny ways is better than closing 9 Vets offices.
Sunny ways is a theme. Its better than the theme of lets pass 8 bills in parliament which get over turned by the Supreme court of Canada. Gee wonder what Rocco G. is going to do now? Guess he can get back to his law practise. Thank heavens we had that lawyer around for all those bills Steve passed which weren't very sunny at all. they were down right depressing and guys like Rocco G. were about the only ray of hope to have them over turned along with the Supreme Court of Canada.
Too funny Simon....... " You Took the Words Right Out of my Mouth" la la la......Someone needs to give her a moral compass!!!!!!! FS
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