Justin Trudeau has done many town halls, but the one in Regina the other day seems to have resonated with Canadians to an extraordinary degree.
And not just with those who support him, but also with some of those who don't, and even with some of his enemies in the media.
For while this tweet of mine was extremely well received.
Which tells me that many progressives were as impressed as I was with Trudeau's powerful performance. And are sick of all those who would threaten his life for defending the principles that help define this country.
The crusty old right-wing pundit Charles Adler also felt the need to praise him...
I'm not a member of the #Trudeau fan club. But nobody in Cdn retail politics does this better than he does. If #Liberals manage again to pin the #Conservatives as a party that doesn't stand up to bigotry, but rather encourages it, #Liberals will easily get a 4 yr renewal. https://t.co/rDd7OjOVsf— Charles Adler (@charlesadler) January 11, 2019
So did the notorious very Con friendly John Ivison, sort of...
And even the well known Trudeau basher Martin Patriquin, had to concede that in the age of Trump, he was standing up for our Canadian values.For a tired government at the end of its mandate that needs to remind Canadians why they voted for them in the first place, this move and @JustinTrudeau's high-wire town-halls have been a good start to the New Year. https://t.co/dcIBHcqZrX— John Ivison (@IvisonJ) January 11, 2019
The Prime Minister has deeply held convictions on the issues of immigration and multiculturalism — convictions he defends in public, unscripted, and often in front of hostile crowds. In the age of Trump, during which many liberal-minded leaders have become scared of their own ideology, Trudeau has only doubled down.
And that he deserves credit for the way he confronted some of the crazies in that town hall...
The one who called him a traitor.
“You are working for your globalist partners,” said one woman, on camera, while standing about 200 feet from the prime minister. “I wonder how much they are paying you to betray Canada. What do we do with traitors in Canada, Mr. Trudeau? We used to hang them, hang them for treason.”
And suggested he should be hanged.
The one who accused him of letting Muslims in to "kill us," who got a lecture from the prime minister.
Trudeau’s answer was a treatise on how the country itself was founded on immigration, and how the first generations of these immigrants often faced discrimination. “It’s not easy to pick up everything you have, cross an ocean, and try (to) build a future for yourselves. And if people are doing it, it’s because they believe they can build a better future for their kids and grandkids,” he said.
Boilerplate stuff? Sure. But it is a testament to these addled times that Trudeau is one of perhaps a handful of world leaders saying it loudly and publicly, in front of demonstrably unsympathetic crowds.
And that at a time when Andrew Scheer is pandering to bigots and crazies...
Andrew Scheer has indulged the lowest common denominator. The Conservative leader denounced the recent UN agreement on migration because it would give “influence over Canada’s immigration system to foreign entities,” as he put it last month. In other words, under Trudeau, Canada’s sovereignty was being sacrificed to the globalist gods of the populist right’s imagination.
Trudeau deserves both credit and praise.
No doubt, Trudeau can be intolerable. But in repeatedly defending multiculturalism as it has been practised in this country for nearly half a century — in hostile territory, no less — he deserves credit and praise. Few like-minded politicians are doing it in this country. Precious fewer are doing it in the world beyond its borders.
Which I think is fair.
And I will only add, that I believe that his courageous defence of our Canadian values will lead him to victory in the next election...
For while other issues may come and go.
Defending our precious values is the most sacred duty of any Canadian prime minister.
Long live those values, down with the toxic Trudeau haters.
Go Justin go...
18 comments:
Yes, the town hall meetings are working and that is what he needs to do. He will most likely win the election, just based on these town hall meetings. His ability to remind the anti immigrant crowd that their families were also immigrants not so long ago works. People are starting to be interested in where they come from, i.e. just check the ads on Ancestory, etc. As some one I used to know back in the 1970s would say, "no if your family has been here for 8 generations, you're part First Nations, so are you part of the newly arrived crowd or are you First Nations". It always worked, it shut them up.
We truly are a country of immigrants and its worked nicely so far. there is no reason it won't continue to work.
Thank you Simon for this post. I must admit that I’m surprised to see people like Ivison and Patriquin praising Justin. But he is risking his life in a climate of violence to defend the values that have helped hold this country together. And it’s about time the Con media also stood up for those values, and gave praise where praise is due.
The amount of hate in Canada these days scares me. How did it get so bad so quickly? And why do all those people keep threatening to kill Justin Trudeau? What has he done to them to deserve that?
He’s done nothing, he’s just a scapegoat for those ignorant bigots who blame him for everything and for all their own failures. They are racists, they hate women and gay people, and they hate Justin for defending their rights.
Wonder how the Saudi bootlickers and Islamophobes alike will manage to bash him now, for the granting of asylum to the 18-year-old girl fleeing her oppressive family environment and the likelihood of execution for apostasy in her native country. That woman at the town hall calling for Trudeau to be hanged should be ashamed of herself and perhaps arrested. "Treason" is what Rahaf would be charged with and executed for in Riyadh as a prisoner of conscience. Trudeau has done absolutely nothing even remotely in the realm of criminality, let alone actions that would make him an enemy of the state. At the very least, these people need professional help. Otherwise they need to be kept under surveillance by the proper authorities, and charged as necessary with uttering threats to the prime minister. Andrew Scheer is an absolute coward and a disgrace to his country, who should be ashamed to show his face in public for his complicit silence that enables these unhinged bigots. If anyone deserves heckling for betrayal of Canada's values, it's him and the rest of his Kookoo Kult Kon party.
@anon 6:18
How did it get so bad so quickly?
The short answer is Trump emboldened these savages to come out of the woodwork and let their hate flag fly, knowing full well they'd have the full backing of the president of the United States. The longer explanation is that Trump is the boil of a steadily building fever coming to a head, and that this seething resentment has actually been brewing for a long time. The mainstream discourse never even talked of "Islamophobia" until 9/11. Harper's people were Bush's people, who in turn were Reagan's people, and so goes the history of the Cons inextricably tied to that of the GOP.
But "Trudeau derangement syndrome" appears to be a slowly metastasizing cancer that's been in the works since, well, 1968, before Trudeau fils was even a spark in his father's eye. The ones old enough to have hated Pierre have in turn taught their children to hate the man and his son. The rest just hate anyone who stands up for the rights of women, immigrants, LGBT, etc.
As if that wasn't bad enough... a disturbing number of them have some prurient projections of their... passionate feelings toward Justin, as Michael Coren points out. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's demographically targeted animosities -- racism and misogyny, respectively -- were more obvious. But "Trudeauphobia" is somewhat more subtle: underneath it all, it's a dumping ground for the rabid hostility a lot of people still feel about those they even suspect of being gay.
What exactly has Justin done to create such anger? A questionable photo op? Personally bought a swing set? What? So real pschy ops is being employed and its not just Canadian talent.
Another part of the equation, the attacks on the Govener General for reasons of style. Con appointie are never attacked, and should not be.
The woman's inane comment that JT is a traitor is a classic example of a subscriber to the rebel who believes anything that emanates from its distorted bowels.
A better description would be Scheer and Harper trying to meddle in our free trade negotiations. Rempel going on Fox News to denounce our government. Scheer going to Britain and India as well as Harper for undoubtedly nefarious purposes to undermine our government and therefore, Canada. Though it's not by definition, I would still call them traitors for what they did and most certainly cowards for not denouncing the threats to JT, coming from their supporters.
Something you may find of interest here, Simon. Scheer is having a town hall!! Yes, a town hall in North York. When?
Sat, Jan 19th 5:30 PM • 8:00 PM
Armenian Community Centre of Toronto
45 Hallcrown Pl
North York, Ontario
M2J 4Y4
Will it be open to anyone or will it be like Harper's hand picked gatherings of the Con clapping seals?
JD
Hi e.a.f....yes, those town halls are a great rehearsal for the election campaign, and they help remind Canadians why they elected Justin Trudeau. People may disagree with Trudeau on one issue or the other, but compared to the miserable Scheer he's a beacon of decency...
Hi anon...you're welcome, and thank you for reminding people that Justin Trudeau is risking his life in a climate of violence that Scheer and his monstrous Cons have helped create. And yes, it's about time the media gave Trudeau some credit...
Like a classic facebook protest I will not show up due to geographic reasons but lets imagine 1000 pink vests show up and are not addmited.
Hi anon@6:18 PM...The hate has been building for years, but really took off after Trudeau and Trump were elected. The right in this country is trying to use the same script or modus operandi Trump used to defeat Hillary Clinton. As a recent Abacus poll suggested the Con base is motivated by bigotry, misogyny and homophobia, so Scheer is using his dog whistle to try to make Trudeau embody all those things that drive his supporters crazy. It.s a disgusting strategy and if heaven forbid Somebody tries to harm Justin, Scheer will have to be held accountable....
Hi anon@7:56 P.M...You're absolutely right, Justin Trudeau has done nothing to deserve all the hate and death threats he has received. As I mentioned above, and you also point out, they are using bigotry, racism, misogyny and homophobia to demonize Trudeau like Trump demonized Hillary Clinton. As I've said before, the next election will force Canadians to choose between a real Canadian leader, and a would be Trump, and I'm pretty confident that with so much on the line Canadians will choose wisely...
Hi Jackie...You're right, the anti-Trudeau hate for many in the cowboy province dates back to their hatred for Justin's father. It's absolutely pathetic but it does allow the scummy Cons to use misogyny and homophobia against his son. I had hoped that both misogyny and homophobia would have been consigned to the garbage can of history by now. But on the bright side the Cons may energize their depraved base, but they will lose the support of the millenial generation, which means they will have no future...
Hi Jackie...I think Justin and Rahaf have just bashed the Saudis and their Con stooges in an excellent manner. Rahaf's brave decision not to submit to the Saudi guardianship laws is a great blow for women's rights in that barbarous kingdom. Prince Bone Saw is trying to make people believe that he is modernizing Saudi Arabia, but when a young woman like Rahaf risks her life to get away, it makes very thing he is doing look fraudulent. I love it and once again we have to congratulate the Trudeau government for sticking it to that rotten regime...
Hi Steve...as Insaid above, Justin has done nothing to create that anger. It's all a porno production brought to you by Scheer, Hamish Marshall, and Ezra Levant. Justin will one day be recognized as one of Canada's great prime ministers, while those three hate mongers will rot in the obscurity they deserve...
Hi JD....When I heard that loon call Justin a traitor and suggest that he be hanged, all I could think of was thank goodness I wasn't there or I would probably would have caused a scandal by telling her what I thought of Cons like her. Which is why I think I probably won't go to Scheer's town hall. 😉
But I hope it's on TV because I would like to watch it and laugh my you know what off. The man must be desperate to hold a town hall so soon after Trudeau's strong performance in Regina. The two are bound to be compared, and Scheer is sure to come off looking like a klutz or just a loser. Whoever suggested that town hall deserves to get a medal...😂😂😂
Hi Simon, I'd be very wary that Scheer would give the appearance that it's open to anyone, then rig it so he's thrown softballs all night. It would be easy, it would be in a way, cheating and we know cheating and Cons go hand in hand so I hope it's televised so we can see for ourselves just how "diverse" the crowd and questions will be.
JD
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