I really liked the swearing in of Justin Trudeau's new cabinet. I thought the prime minister looked rested and ready to take on the Con separatists.
I was impressed that both Jim Carr and Dominic LeBlanc made it to the ceremony even though both are being treated for cancer.
And I really loved the Métis kids leading the official party out of the room.
Métis dancers Desiree Orvis, Hunter Oleschak performing at the Rideau Hall celebrating with the newly appointed cabinet ministers. pic.twitter.com/0B33FUvcXB— MétisNationalCouncil (@MNC_tweets) November 20, 2019
The kids were so great. It was so Canadian.
And then there was the Ugly American Andrew Scheer...
Wasting his opportunity to begin a new approach, by lying like a thief, claiming Justin Trudeau is dividing Canadians when nobody has tried to divide them as much as Scheer and his RepubliCons have.
While the Con media danced or stumbled behind him, humming or belching sympathetically.
And Andrew Coyne took aim at some great Adam Scotti photos of an emotional Marco Mendicino reacting to being made a minister.
There is sonething infinitely sad about these pictures. https://t.co/ij7QQxGGsy— Andrew Coyne (@acoyne) November 21, 2019
As only he could.
And in such a classless manner, I just had to say something.
And the good news?
I've never seen Trudeau look so determined and so confident...
The brutal election campaign and his hard won victory seem to have steeled him.
As the CBC's Chris Hall writes, his cabinet picks seem designed to reflect stability and seriousness.
Four years ago, Trudeau faced a major challenge in naming his first cabinet. Most of his choices were new not only to government, but to politics as well. He said his inner circle would reflect gender parity "because it's 2015." Change was the driving narrative.
Four years later, the change narrative has run its course. Experience is the mantra in 2019. The emphasis now is on promoting those with solid communication skills and a proven track record in government.
And with the Cons unable to change, and repeating the same mistakes that cost them the election. And Jagmeet Singh looking totally out of his depth.
By among other things, apparently confusing a swearing in ceremony with a Throne speech.
On the new federal cabinet, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says Canadians need more than just an appointment of a minister, they need some real policies and investments in areas like health care, housing and climate change action #cdnpoli #CabinetShuffle pic.twitter.com/X974G55FLc— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) November 20, 2019
Which isn't the first mistake Singh has made, but I'm afraid won't be his last.
And of course, with Jason Kenney and Doug Ford working to make the Con brand even less attractive.
The stage seems set for Justin Trudeau to repeat his father's achievement, manage a minority.
And turn it into another massive majority...
The universe is still unfolding as I always believed it would.
And while one can't predict the future.
Trudeau 2.0 promises to be even better than the first one...
14 comments:
While I realize that Justin is far less damaging to the country than anyone that the CRAP Party has or is ever likely to have on offer, I still have to ask why anybody would want to give him another majority.
I wouldn't be too hard on Jagmeet. He was just reflexively repeating the spiel that comes out whenever the camera is pointed in his direction. Maybe if a few somebodies could find it in their hearts to send the party a few bucks it could afford to buy him a new one.
I really hope he does get another majority, Simon. At least one more, like 1974, which would give him at least 10, maybe 11 years as PM. I think going for a full repeat of history with a 1980 is a stretch. Freeland would be a fine successor someday, but I'd still like to see Justin rebound and go out on top like his dad. I'm glad to see the Liberals seem to have "grown up" and gotten wiser to the machinations of the Cons and their media stooges. But navigating this minority government will be tough with the Cons becoming fully radicalized like the Republicans after Obama's reelect, and the NDP being the Peter Principle party and so undoubtedly jealous of the Bloc coming ahead of them that they seem more willing to help the Cons and stonewall the Liberals just to craft a narrative that the Liberals aren't "in it for you". If the Dippers are stupid or petty enough to try and rejigger Lavghazi, it won't do them any favors in Quebec. Not that I much care as I'd just like to see the map covered in red again. Hopefully this trial-by-fire will give them enough experience in the trenches to make that come true.
Justin needs another majority because the other yahoos are saboteurs whose petty jealousy and Trudeau derangement syndrome has made Parliament unworkable. And if anyone thinks they'd behave more reasonably with Freeland at the helm it's the exact opposite. The Cons hate her for being a woman, a "fake Albertan" (as though Harper and Kenney of Ontario were more "authentic"?) and Trudeau's no. 2, while the Dippers echo the bullshit "war criminal" rhetoric that the US purity left parrots about "Crooked Hillary." Israel and Spain right now are doing wonders to vindicate him about the shitshow that PropRep would be. It really says a lot when the lone voice of reason among the opposition parties is an avowed Quebec separatist. Chauvinistic as it might be, realpolitik comes into play in this fractured scenario and I think Freeland might even be more of an asset working with Quebec than with lunatic Alberta, and more so even than Pablo Rodriguez because Blanchet seems genuinely charmed by her. But I don't think she minds that one bit.
I don't care what happens to the NDP. They came ever so close to tasting power during Jack's reign and they've been on the warpath to get Trudeau ever since. It stings them to admit that the NDP will never form government, so they think that by slamming the Liberals they can heighten the contradictions and exact their revenge upon the "status quo centrists" even if it means helping the Cons. Let them go broke or, if they want to survive in some form, fold into the Liberals and shift them leftward, like Deform did with the PCs but not to such an extreme. Bob Rae could facilitate a merger and be an ethical version of Spuds MacKay.
For right now, perhaps the Yankeefied champagne-socialist alum of an expensive private school in Detroit could hock his Rolex and sell his BMW if his joke of an AOC stan club is so strapped for cash. He's not starving for camera focus; everyone has an iPhone these days, right? He needs to get off Tik Tok and quit grandstanding and lying on social media like that other orange populist. Spend less time doing the Jagmeet Jump and bashing Trudeau, and more time getting some remedial education on parliamentary procedure and the delineation between provincial and federal jurisdiction. Or continue being a narcissistic, power-hungry asshole and join his buddy weak Andy in the unemployment line by 2021.
Swingin' Singh is a meme candidate, a real-world manifestation of everything the Cons lied about Trudeau. Both "not as advertised" and "just not ready." Nice luxury duds, though.
It pains to agree as someone who already saw my Red Toryism become an extinct breed that I now must say farewell to another party, but I am forced to agree. Half measures are superior to no measures. The Liberal Party requires the support of all progressively minded Canadians so long as the other options on the table are fascist parties and parties abetting fascism.
Talk about your sore losers. The whiny, pissy Scheer or the sour, dour Coyne are besides themselves with their sick, twisted form of envy. They cant stand the thought of JT forming a new government and the reality of seeing it all happen is too much for them to bear. They obviously haven't figured out it is their childish attacks that disgusts decent Canadians and yet they cant control their ugly impulses. Seek mental help, immediately.
None of the pissing and moaning mattered to JT and his new cabinet. His energy and positive attitude was evident and I believe his moves were well thought out and will benefit us all in the end. A great day for Liberals and democracy. Conversely, many Con heads were surely exploding in unison because of it all. You reap what you sow, Cons.
JD
We live in an extremely crooked piece of time. People do not warm and friedly they want Al DUCE ALBERTA EUNUCHS.
So Pee Wee Poilivere and some other goon confirm that they're planning to blow smoke (out of their ass) and fan the embers of the SNC Stupid Nothingburger Controversy and Normangate.
"If they can get the votes."
That phrase is verbatim from the Cons' favorite Breitbart-lite rag, Post Millennial.
Hopefully even they're hedging their bets that there's no there there, and this is all just fundraising meat to rile up the anti-Trudeau hate base? Seriously, enough already. Like you said, seek mental help.
Hi John....I like Jagmeet Singh and I would love to see him be part of a strong and progressive minority government. But so far he has disappointed me with his Con style negativity. Ever since Mulcair the NDP has tended to act like that. Hopefully Singh can correct his course and focus on working with the Liberals and the Greens rather than against them....
Hi Jackie....I remember when the NDP were way ahead of the Liberals and how some of them were calling for the Libs to merge with the dippers. It was something that I welcomed because I have always dreamed of seeing progressives unite, and bury the Cons forever. But right now the NDP is making me nervous because I fear they could make some clumsy move, bring down the minority government and give the Cons another chance to destroy this country. So I would be happier with a Liberal majority, at least until the NDP merges with them...😉
HI Sixth Estate....I would like to see a progressive minority government take this country further to the left, but we live in dangerous times and the priority should be stopping the Cons what they are doing in the U.S. and Britain. We live one election away from disaster, and right now I believe that Justin Trudeau is the leader best equipped to hold the Cons at bay....
Hi Jackie....So far Justin Trudeau has been doing a masterful job and getting his minority government off to a very good start. I regret that he has been forced to be less exuberant than he usually is, but grey and grim are how many Canadians like their politicians to be, and if it works I won't be complaining....
Hi JD....Yes the Cons and their stooges like Coyne are putting on a pathetic show. But as you point out, they were so sure they were going to win so they must be suffering terribly, so their whining and wailing is like music to my ears. Trudeau on the other hand has been performing magnificently, which after the negativity of the election campaign is just what this country needs, and can only make the Cons look even worse...
Hi Steve....There is no doubt that many people these days are attracted by authoritarian leaders. But hopefully Canada will prove to be the exception. Kenney the Con clown is playing the Duce or the Dutchess of Alberta and he's bombing...
This article from Susan Delacourt is worth a read, Simon. I found it both engaging and encouraging. It details how the Liberal campaigning organization has significantly improved over just four years. Data-driven "vote shopping" is key but not at the expense of the old-fashioned face-to-face ground game. They beat Marshall at his Zuckerbergian lies because they actually connected with real human beings. This part is what I found the most hopeful:
Nik Nanos, one of Canada’s leading pollsters ... has been sifting through the results of the 2019 election and marvelling at how Liberals gathered up a national mandate with a precise focus on specific pockets of the country.
Nanos believes that ... Liberals’ growing mastery of micro-targeted campaigning will make them unafraid to plunge into another election if their new minority government collapses.
And if/when that day comes (whether sooner rather than later), I hope Justin and the team can piece together a majority next time around and leave the haters in the dust. Just like dear old dad.
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