It's hard to believe that Justin Trudeau has now been in power for just over a hundred days.
For although I'm sure it seems longer than that to him, it still seems to me like yesterday that he brought down Stephen Harper's foul Con regime.
I'm still celebrating.
And in that short time Trudeau already has quite a list of achievements.
For that list doesn't include the scrapping of Harper's monument to himself...
Or the bringing together of Canada's premiers to strengthen our medicare system, which is even more monumental.
Because Stephen Harper had refused to meet with the Premiers to discuss the future of our precious healthcare system.
Even as he made plans to slowly strangle it...
So although there are still many promises to keep, and many miles to go before we can sleep, and can truly say that we have got our Canada back.
There can be no doubt that we are heading in the right direction, and that Justin Trudeau is a very different Prime Minister.
No one could say the 10 Canadians chosen to get 10 minutes with the prime minister took their jobs lightly. They were fearless and revealing and they challenged Justin Trudeau on issues that mattered to them and to many others.
Each of the 10 had clear questions and wanted answers, although they didn't always get them.
For although he couldn't answer all their questions, he did allow them to grill him in full public view.
He did seem to win them over.
By the end of the exercise, a town hall with a twist, Trudeau seemed to have won over many of the chosen Canadians, who he admitted had been "tough" and "challenging" with him. He shook their hands, and you could hear them off mic thanking him and wishing him luck.
And can you imagine Stephen Harper ever doing that?
Or for that matter can we ever forget what a very different Prime Minister Harper was?
As the cartoonist Terry Mosher reminds us here.
For who can forget what a monster he was.
And where he took this country...
Or his idea of a cabinet...
Or how good it felt to get rid of him...
And for having toasted the dictator in such a convincing manner I will always be grateful to Justin Trudeau.
And one hundred days later I'm still celebrating.
We do have a very different and real Canadian Prime Minister.
And we're still heading in the right direction...
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One thing that should NOT be on the list is the so-called middle-class tax cut, which skews far too high and doesn't provide relief for poorer workers (many of whom DO pay income tax).
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the compassionate care benefit went through swiftly. This and other measures for unpaid (friend and family) caregivers will be increasingly important.
Hi lagatta...yes, but in a country where all parties go on and on about the middle class what do you expect.? The main thing at this point is that many of the Harper cult's creations are being dismantled, and we can build on the rubble...
DeleteArticle about Minister Sajjan in National Observer and one in Huffington Post quoting a speech he made at Canada 2020 Foreign Policy convention. Gives hope for peace. He seems to be a fearless truth teller. Hope I'm right. If so it is another feather in the PMs cap.
ReplyDeleteHi anon...yes he does have some original ideas on the Great War on Terror, unlike the Harperites he is interested in the root causes, and having witnessed our failures in Afghanistan will hopefully be able to provide a fresh perspective....
Delete.. the reality always was.. even a lamprey eel or bottom feeding catfish would be an improvement over Stephen Harper and his gutless wonder caucus & party.. We ended up with far far more.. and now have the luxury & relief of starting over, holding Justin Trudeau et al to account etc.. Make no mistake, the clout of Mainstream Media is being over-run by indy bloggers & concerned citizens with email, twitter, facebook, imagination and resourcefulness.. the country called Canada is reshaping itself in ways never imagined !
ReplyDeleteHi salamander...I think the country is reshaping itself, even though it may not be as fast as some people want. As you know my sole fixation was getting rid of the fascist regime, so Justin Trudeau is just a bonus. I think he's a genuinely nice person, I am moved by his idealism, and at this point that is more than good enough....
DeleteA bit off topic but funny. A Guardian writer is discussing the UK Cabinet and shadow cabinet and their relative lack of diversity and mentions the Trudeau Cabinet.
ReplyDeleteCanada has just appointed a cabinet 50% female with indigenous, Sikh and disabled members. And that’s Canada, a country with all the daring forward-thinking of a defrosting lasagne.
Frankie Boyle
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/19/frankie-boyle-jeremy-corbyn-elected-destroyed-murdoch
Obviously Boyle has been watching the Harper team too long.
Hi jrkrideau.... I must say I think a defrosting lasagna is a very good description of the Harper regime, they were boring, they had no vision, they made us look like a very old country, when we are still relatively young, and I hope capable enough to reinvent ourselves for a brighter greener future....
DeleteMy toilet brush would have been an improvement over Harper.
ReplyDeleteHi lagatta...we would have had to stoop pretty low to find a worse leader than Harper. The future is ours to build, but at least we got rid of him...
DeleteI second every word, and I never voted for Justin Trudeau. Young, Intelligent, compassionate ,REAL. I have HOPE again, I'm listening AGAIN, Thank you to those of you who DID vote for this Nice Person. THANKYOU!
ReplyDeleteHi Morphyous...we that makes two of us, because I didn't vote for Justin either. But I have been pleasantly surprised, he is nice person, and we can dream again of a better Canada....
DeleteStill good with Trudeau and the federal Liberal party although its not my party. They are repealing some of the Cons nasty stuff. If they ensure our medical system remains alive and well, repeal a few more of HArper's legislation; and we work on First Nations children's issues, we ought to be in good shape as a country.
ReplyDeleteLoved the cartoons. thank you for printing them
Interviews on CBC with 10 average Canadians was really something. We are so fortunate to have Trudeau as our PM.
ReplyDeleteThank you Simon for Aislin link. I now have a photo of a baby cranking Harper's nose (to his chagrin). This will be my go-to photo for a good laugh :))
TS
Hi TS...I'm glad you liked the Aislin cartoons, and I must say I was very tempted to use the one of the kid tweaking Harper's nose. But then of course I was always hoping that one of those pandas would bite him... ;)
DeleteBut Justin should have told Danny he could learn new skills in a federal program and get a green energy job!
ReplyDeleteThe future of Alberta
http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2682826374
Danny Strilchuk, a 30-year-old oil field worker from Edmonton, asks Justin Trudeau if there is anything to give him hope or the future in Alberta and how he will generate jobs
Psst, Trudeau: IMF Now Pegs Our Fossil Fuel Subsidies at $46 Billion
http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2016/02/01/IMF-Fossil-Fuel-Subsidies/
David Suzuki: Paris changed everything, so why are we still talking pipelines?
http://www.canadianprogressiveworld.com/2016/01/31/david-suzuki-paris-changed-everything-so-why-are-we-still-talking-pipelines/
[snip]
National unity is about steering Canada onto a sustainable track and looking out for the interests of all Canadians. Continuing to build fossil fuel infrastructure and locking ourselves into a future of increasing global warming isn’t the way to go about it. Shifting to a 21st century clean-energy economy would create more jobs, unity and prosperity — across Canada and not just in one region — than continuing to rely on a polluting, climate-altering sunset industry. Leaders in Quebec should be commended for taking a strong stand for the environment and climate — and for all of Canada.
Hi David...yes Justin really should have explained the facts of life a little more clearly and brutally. Reminded him who caused the problem, and that the future will be greener. But then Justin is a nice guy, and I'm fine with that....
DeleteJustin took a risk doing the interviews, but did well. He is comfortable in that setting.
ReplyDeleteBut the pundits are right. The opposition parties and journalists are going to seek out these 10 Canadians just before the 2020 election and ask them: "Are you better off now then you were were 4 years ago?" and most answer "no", the Liberals could take a big hit in the polls.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/the-sunday-talk-the-politics-of-transparency-1.3429096
I just hope Justin is taking "time out' for his beautiful family and gets some rest......after all Rome wasn't built in a day!
ReplyDeleteLove the cartoons, Simon.......people are more liable to understand visuals because they speak volumes!
Hi Kathleen....yes, that's why I ran that picture of him in that First World War movie. He has had quite a start, and he is looking a bit tired. But he has lectured others on the importance of a good work/life balance so hopefully he will follow his own advice....
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