Justin Trudeau is Stumbling, From the Start

Whispering in the Wind (WITW 106) January 27, 2016

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been in office for three months now and there is little doubt, his “sunny ways” gait and how he mixes with the public has gotten the media euphoric, labelling him the political rock star with promises.  As to his promises and his strategies used to achieve his commitments, there are bottle necks – with serious, unintended consequences.  Admittedly it is far too early to pass judgement on Mr. Trudeau’s performance as prime minister, but there are indicators which suggest that he has stumbled out of the starting gate. 

Trudeau’s First 12 Weeks

To suggest that Justin Trudeau wasn’t busy over the past three months, he or she would be looking at reality through a clouded lens.  Mr. Trudeau outlined his agenda and priorities last December under five broad headings:  Growth for the Middle Class; Open and Transparent Government; A Clean Environment and Strong Economy; Diversity is Canada’s Strength; Security and Opportunity.  As to specific announcements made and actions taken, a number are worth highlighting:   

Gender Parity – Mr. Trudeau announced a gender parity cabinet – 15 women of a 30 member cabinet.  In my view, a new standard has been set by the Liberal government and could very well impact future federal government appointments, and that means, gender issues could trump qualifications – and that’s a very dangerous precedent.  When asked why he wants gender parity, Mr. Trudeau glibly responded, “Because it’s 2015”.  The Environment is another major priority for Mr. Trudeau’s government and as promised, endorsed the principles of the Paris Climate Change Accord.  The hope for Mr. Trudeau is to meet with the provinces in the near future to assemble a national consensus with real targets – the speculation is that the provinces will voice their own specific plans, without targets – and that means Mr. Trudeau will have failed to bring about a truly “national” environmental policy.                                                                                  Syrian Refugees – Mr. Trudeau pledged to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2015 – after several adjustments the Trudeau government is now saying they will meet the target figure by the end of February, 2016 – an understandable, yet ill-considered promise on the part of the Liberal government.  The longer term issues associated with integration and assimilation could cause serious heartaches for Canadian governments in general.                                                                                 ISIS War Air Strikes – Mr. Trudeau promised to withdraw Canadian fighter jet support from the coalition efforts to fight the so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.  While Mr. Trudeau is adamant against having a Canadian fighting force in a war zone, the need to offer meaningful support as an alternative to the coalition’s war efforts remains a mystery, if not unresolved.  In my view, the issue is very personal for Justin Trudeau and reminds me of those associated with the “hippie” anti-war movement of the 1960s.                                                                                                             Aboriginal Relations – In December, 2015 Justin Trudeau pledged to have an inquiry into the 1,200 missing or murdered aboriginal women and promised a “total renewal” of Canada’s relationship with its aboriginal populations.  While the inquiry into missing aboriginal women is a critical step in improving relations with the indigenous peoples of Canada, the La Loche (Lac La Roche) tragedy in northern Saskatchewan last week, has put a whole new perspective on aboriginal relations and the challenges facing Prime Minister Trudeau and his government.

What’s Missing on the Economic Side?

As to the economic side of Mr. Trudeau’s political equation, there is less transparency and Canadians will have to wait for details in the up-coming  federal budget measures.  The tax measures promised to the “middle class” have been incorporated into the taxation code and will be good for those with middle class earnings – and jobs.  Regarding measures to kick-start the Canadian economy – and a very shaky economy it is – Mr. Trudeau is banking on investments into “infrastructure” to develop confidence and create jobs.  In my view, the priority has to be about jobs, jobs, and more jobs – no matter what the cost is, in the short term.  Nevertheless, the public (and business) will have to wait for the federal (provincial) budget to see what other measures are in store for Canadians to develop confidence and jobs – the 82 mayors in the Montreal region are demonstrating just how greedy politicians can get – their recent overtures have not been helpful.