I was flipping through the TV channels last night, on my way to watch the CBC News, when I came across a live broadcast of Justin Trudeau's town hall in Regina. And I couldn't stop watching it.
Not just because it was riveting TV. Trudeau in enemy territory, holding off the hostile hordes.
But also because, as much as I tried not to, after all those death threats, I couldn't help worrying about whether somebody would try to kill him.
For you could smell the toxic Trudeau hate seeping through the TV screen all the way from Regina.
And the brutish ignorance of some of the participants, and their rude behaviour, made my head feel like exploding.
The pipeline guy who spent about five minutes insulting Justin before getting to his question. But didn't even know that the government's carbon tax plan includes a rebate.
The big aggressive woman who accused Trudeau of trying to introduce Sharia Law, and conspiring with the globalists to sell out our country.
And if that wasn't enough, also accused him of treason, and demanded to know whether he knew that they used to hang traitors.
As the ugly rubes in the hall chuckled and hooted like a lynch mob.
It was absolutely disgusting, but somehow Trudeau managed to keep his cool, and answer her questions without even mentioning the words "hang" or "traitor."
As politely and as patiently as he answered all the other questions he received.
And by the time it was over he seemed to have won over quite a few in the crowd.
So after 90 minutes of questions and answers, the town hall meeting has come to an end. PM @JustinTrudeau is swarmed for selfies while walking out. #Kamloops #cndpoli #ctvnews pic.twitter.com/HsnEjxx4JV— Melanie Nagy (@MelanieNagyCTV) January 10, 2019
And he got three thumbs up from me...
Just for acting like a Canadian leader should act in a dark time, when violent kooks are rearing their ugly heads, and racism, misogyny, anti-immigrant feeling, and homophobia are poisoning this country.
And Cons like Andrew Scheer and his ex-Rebel campaign manager Hamish Marshall are encouraging those murderous crazies...
With their deathly hate mongering propaganda,
And sadly getting some of the best polling numbers Scheer's Cons have ever had.
Or should I say DID have...
For in the latest Nanos poll, those numbers are once again heading south.
And one can only hope it means that Canadians are getting tired of Andrew Scheer's divisive politics and hate mongering propaganda.
Hope that Justin Trudeau can survive all those murderous Cons, Trumplings, and dirty old men who want to kill him.
And keep on defending our Canadian values from those who would destroy them...
19 comments:
As frustrated as I can get with Trudeau, it's little bits like this that remind me that there's a lot to admire about him. We have plenty of examples of politicians running from their own constituents and his coolness in the midst of those that hate his guts is nothing short of remarkable. I would not have been that composed in responding to the hideous things they were accusing him of, all of them total nonsense.
It was a stark reminder of exactly who we're up against. Those people see Canadians like us, be us LGBT, new Canadians, the aboriginal or heck, even just city dwellers and they see an enemy that must be defeated. We need to come to grips with that and proceed with that knowledge in the back of our minds. There's no meeting in the middle when its the very humanity of people that they want to debate.
At the event in Kamloops, BC he even told a guy who joked about throwing Trump off a cliff to not talk that way. This is how a real leader pulls frustrated voters away from the edge. No doubt Trudeau was alluding to the threats against his own life, when he said that that kind of rhetoric is unacceptable no matter how upset one is with a politician. He even made sure to describe the U.S. as "our closest ally" which now puts the onus on Trump to behave accordingly. Obviously he won't, but it shows that Trudeau is playing the long game and doesn't want to burn bridges with the U.S. altogether once Trump is gone and a Democratic president is called upon to repair the damaged relationship it once had with its partners. Meanwhile Harper is meowing and coughing up hairballs in India about how a "smart PM would find ways to work with the American president" -- which Justin has done in spades, and always with the best interests of Canada in mind. Fat Cat is one to talk, as after all, there were probably, um, reasons why he couldn't stand Barack Obama.
In politely chiding the guy who wanted to see a Looney Tunes type Wiley Coyote end to Trump's presidency (and life), Trudeau scored a simultaneous coup against both Trump and Scheer (a hat trick if you count Harper). After all, who could forget Trump's wink and nod to using "Second Amendment solutions" to "deal with" Hillary, or how he referred to the murderous neo-Nazis at Charlottesville as "very fine people"? Scheer is another coward who won't call off the dogs (or the Wolf Pack), but rather courts them with complicit silence. He won't venture into unscripted venues; he'd rather host staged infomercials for the Potemkin village idiots, like that asinine production at Tiger supermarkets that no doubt benefits the Con MP whose family owns the franchise. A real man of the people, the everyday coupon clipper. Like Nixon used to say, "I know what poverty looks like; it used to walk into my father's store." Andrew Scheer, the advertising pitchman and bargain-basement crook.
Pierre was more temperamental and sharp-tongued ("keep throwing wheat at me and I'll kick your ass"), which wouldn't go over well at all in the Twitter soundbite era. (Nor would Chrétien's famous "handshake.") But when it comes to facing a tough crowd, Justin's got his father's backbone -- and his mother's heart.
Just watch him. (Please, RCMP... just watch him!)
I had the same reaction you had Simon. With all the death threats Justin Trudeau receives I also worry about his safety. What have the Cons done to this country?
"Those people see Canadians like us, be us LGBT, new Canadians, the aboriginal or heck, even just city dwellers and they see an enemy that must be defeated."
So true about those people. As a site supervisor at one of Canada's great tourist destinations, I've witnessed a steady decline in the behavior of those people since Harper came to power and more so when Justin became leader of the Libs. Since he became PM, the drool started showing and it's been a challenge to deal with those people as they are generally disrespectful, dishonest, disruptive and just plain dismal. They gripe about paying fees, they break the rules and act like over privileged children. I can see those people coming from a mile away. They are almost always white and usually a few bricks short of a full load. Those people are one and the same as the ignoramuses that Simon so well described at the town hall and are ripe picking for the Con propaganda machine.
On the other hand, we get frequent lengthy visits from various minority populations, international tourists and new Canadians and I always marvel at how smart and respectful they are and how they adhere to the rules. They are a big reason why I still love my job and why I go out of my way to help and make them feel welcome as I would with any decent white Canadian visitor.
They are everything those people are not or ever will be and I'm happy to report that in my corner of the world, as I expect it would be in most of Canada, those people are the exception, not the rule.
JD
It takes guts to do what Justin does at those town halls, and I can’t see Scheer doing the same thing. He doesn’t even like taking questions from reporters, and who can forget how he turned and ran when he was asked about Hamish Marshall and the Rebel?
Trudeau was also in Kamloops, B.C. Not always friendly territory. Lots of questions aimed at him. He handled it well, as he did in Regina.
I'm not afraid of him being murdered. None of our politicians have been. The closest we ever got was some guy trying to attack Chretien back in the day and I do believe Chretien hit him before he got to him. so no worries and we don't take guns out and about with us. He's safe. Notice the RMCP security with him. well, they've been with him since he was a small child. Back then it was referred to as the baby sitting detail. Well I guess it is again, only this time, its his kids.
so he handles these questions. never gives anyone any ammunition. It sets him apart. He is willing to wade into these arenas and answer the questions. In the end, he does win people over.
That many didn't know about the rebates doesn't surprise me one bit. MSM doesn't inform people nor do the provinces and the federal Liberals don't have an advertising program for it, which is nice. It saves the taxpayers money. Many of the people are ill informed and more than a few have been influenced by what is on Face Book, where a lot of untruths are circulated to whip people into a frenze, as you saw. omg, how stupid can some one be talking about Sharia law in Canada. But some one got that woman's attention, most likely on line, peddling that b.s.
I see it as a good thing that Trudeau doesn't hide. He isn't afraid. Nor should he be. This country is not as crazy as some make out, with their twitter accounts. people will put a lot of things in writing on the computer that they would never say in life to the person they're aiming their hate at. Doesn't worry me. it is very doubtful any one of the people in the meetings would actually have tried to hurt Trudeau. Any how some of them may know the guy can pack a punch, just check with the Conservative Senator.
Courage can be defined as someone who is brave and confident enough to do what they believe in while having the ability to control their fear in a dangerous or difficult situation. An honorable trait so seldom seen in politics anymore. Our PM's town hall in Regina showed more courage and conviction than the entire Con party combined. As he tries to unite Canadians, the Cons seek to divide. Us and them is their philosophy. The Libs are not an opponent, they're the enemy along with anyone who dares to support them or criticize the Cons. That is just a small part of the odious legacy that Harper and now Scheer will be remembered for.
The ignorance and deplorable nature of those people at the town hall are a classic example of what the Cons and their rebel and sun media friends have cultivated over the years with their lies and disgusting brand of rhetoric. It will only get worse as the election nears and I to have serious concerns regarding Justin's safety. Though the bulk of the threats against him are from cowards hiding behind a keyboard, there's always the chance that some psychopath could slip through the cracks and do the unthinkable.
I pray that Jackie's plea to the RCMP is being followed and they are extremely diligent in watching and protecting Justin during these dangerous times. It's compelled me to write a respectful, yet pointed email to the minister responsible for the RCMP, Ralph Goodale( ralph.goodale@parl.gc.ca) to remind him that even though our PM is not fond of a heavy security entourage, Mr. Goodale is ultimately the one responsible for ensuring his safety. As for the RCMP, any threats toward our PM can be reported by phone to the appropriate detachment throughout the country, http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cont/index-eng.htm .
Thank you for this excellent post, Simon. It made me even more proud to be a Canadian under a truly Canadian Prime Minister. If we all do even just a small part of calling out those who threaten harm or death to him and his loved ones then we will have done our due diligence and I would hope lead to many more eyes to watch over them.
JD
Hi anon@11:36 AM...I can understand why some people are frustrated by the Trudeau Liberals, but they should remember that perfection can be the enemy of the good, and that all things are relative. For me Trudeau represents respect for human rights at a time when the lights are going out all over the world, and nothing for me is more important. Some indigenous people and environmentalists may be particularly annoyed with him, but do they seriously believe that Scheer would be better? We're in a war, and that kind of snowflake thinking could be fatal...
The crazy far right is on display now...
https://globalnews.ca/news/4840763/radio-host-threats-yellow-vest/
Hi JD...That's interesting, and your observations are very similar to mine. I also see a mixture of good and bad people. I blame the Harper years for debasing a lot of what were once seen as Canadian values. Debasing everything from our reputation for being polite, to our attitudes towards taxation. Once Canadians as a whole recognized that taxes were the price we had to pay for a civilized society. Now I find far too many Canadians are driven by greed and don't seem to care about the future enough. However, like you I believe that we are still more and better than the Cons, so my faith in our ultimate victory remains strong...
Hi Jackie...judging from the reaction to the Regina town hall I think Trudeau is on the right track. He is drawing a line on what is acceptable in Canada and what isn't, and I think that in the end that will payoff handsomely for him. The state of Trump's America will serve to remind Canadians what could happen here if our Trumplings should win, and it will be very hard for Scheer to get out from under the shadow of Trump. Justin is admirably suited to defend our Canadian values, and we couldn't ask for anything more at a time like this one. As far as I'm concerned, if we don't have those values we don't have anything...
Hi anon...yes it is a worry, you can't allow people to threaten the prime minister or sooner or later it will lead to tragedy. We have to trust that his RCMP bodyguards are up to the task, but we need to make it easier for them by reporting those who make death threats, and by going after the hate mongers who are poisoning our country.
Hi anon...I agree it does take guts to do what Justin Trudeau is doing, and like you I can't see Scheer taking unvetted questions from a town hall crowd. Just like Harper he prefers tightly controlled newser said, and his ability to answer a barrage of questions is extremely poor. He is easily rattled, and ends up looking like a deer caught in the headlights. So I'm looking forward to the election campaign...😺
Hi e.a.f...I don't share your optimism about the state of this country. I have never seen a time when so many are threatening the prime minister and apparently getting away with it. Some of those Cons and yellow bellies are the scum of the earth, this country is full of weapons, and thinking that it couldn't happen here is what people always say before tragedy strikes. We cannot normalize this behaviour, and those who act like terrorists must be treated like them....
Hi JD....I'm glad you liked the post. I can't remember a time when those who believe in this country have a more urgent duty to stand up and defend it. Our country is being poisoned by people who are acting more like American Trumplings than Canadians. Those yellow bellies are a clear and present danger to our democracy and must be brought under control by whatever means necessary. And I congratulate you for letting Canadians know what they can do to make us all safer. The only good news is that Scheer and his Cons will pay a heavy price for encouraging these wannabe terrorists, and it will cost them the next election...
Hi anon...thank you. It is as I have long feared, the far right in this country is out of control and those fascist beasts must be put down by whatever means necessary...
Simon, "must be put down by whatever means necessary". I expect you were angry when you wrote this, but by "whatever means necessary" smacks of violence I don't support, understanding of course that you are a non violent person, its a surprise. Some would interpret that phrase to mean you advocate violence. It is most likely not your intent. However, the phrase can and will be picked up by others and used as "lefties advocating violence".
Having lived in B.C. since 1951 about the only time we had real political violence since the dirty thirties, was the War Measures Act and prior to that the bombings by the Sons of Freedom in B.C.--they took to blowing up things, including themselves. We have the usual run of the mill murderers in Canada, but I still have a great deal of confidence in the non violent nature of our country. Perhaps it is different in the east, there was Oka, but here in B.C. even major protests have been fairly non violent. We had the "battle of the woods", but it was fairly non violent, in that the protestors didn't start shooting and killing. Even the "battle in seattle" which a lot of people from B.C. attended, wasn't bad.
Even the gangsters in the drug trade in B.C. keep their violence pretty much in their own "community". there has been the odd by stander who was killed, but pretty much, they kill only their own. O.K. they understand if they kill indiscriminately the population won't be happy.
The RCMP haven't lost a politician yet in this country and it is doubtful Trudeau will be the first. To be able to kill some one in a crowd like we have seen in Regina and Kamloops, you need to be a very good shot and most people aren't. Kevlar has come a long way. it can be made into any type of clothing, without anyone being the wiser. Trudeau will not be gunned down by a Canadian attending one of the community meetings. They're a good political move. Let people exhaust themselves talking and shouting and yelling. Once that has been done, they mostly go quietly.
Hi e.a.f....No, I am not encouraging anyone to resort to violence, unless they must to defend themselves. For those yellow bellies are some of the most vicious bigots I have ever seen. What I mean by whatever means necessary, is by exposing them for what they are, and getting the law to take care of them...
very much agree and that is why I have suggested some technie and that leaves me out, track where these face book comments, etc. are coming from. I would be much happier if the RCMP took some pro active action against those who threaten others with death. It rather interesting, some female senior citizens a year or so ago was taking pictures, of the Shell Refinery in Burnaby, British Columbia, while standing on public land. She got a visit from the RCMP. People who hold up signs or write threatening the life of the P.M. or a media person in Kamloops, need a visit from the RCMP. Now it may be the opinon of the RCMP they don't want to give these people any further "ammunition", such as the RCMP is interfering with their right to protest, but if a senior gets a visit for taking pictures, then the some of the others who advocate violence might benefit from a visit because that violence could get some one other than the intended target killed and that includes all of us as they transport their bombs, etc.
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