Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes
Is Canada ready for another Trudeau vision of what Canada should look like and become?
Well yes, to an as yet to be determined degree. Justin Trudeau brings his mother Margaret’s charm, warmth, and good looks that are enhanced with his father’s wit and both parent’s love for Canada to the table. He has announced that he is going for the Liberal Party leadership.
Let’s face it politics is part of Justin’s DNA. His grandfather, Jimmy Sinclair was a long time Liberal MP and Fisheries Minister in the Lester Pearson Government.
His father, Pierre Elliot Trudeau leaves him with a challenge that would intimidate lesser men but I think that Justin is his own person and will make his own mark and that might be the difference that we have been missing.
Justin Trudeau MP
Already one poll has him as the next PM if he goes for it. What will his leadership run do for the prospect of a NDP-Liberal merger? That is, I suggest, the question of the hour. A merger of the centre-left persuasion is what it will take to defeat the worst government Canada has ever had, ever.
Polling numbers show that members and supporters of both parties get that, which is interesting, but the reality is that the fixers and controllers of both will present the biggest hurdle. This of course reveals some of the shortcomings of the First Past the Post system that must be replaced with some form of Proportional Representation if the majority view is to be represented.
We live in interesting times.
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Trudeau, not long ago, spoke positively about a merger, as did Rae.
However more recently both have backed off.
Trudeau mania round two ends the dream of an NDP government.
Its a sad reality but a reality all the same.
Trudeau will not win the next election.
He will however ensure the NDP does not either.
Trudeau, 2020 has potential.
His leadership team and inner circle are an under 40 crowd. The narrative has already lent itself to Trudeau needing time to grow into the role.
The political strategy deployed from the youthful Trudeau war room has focused on BC and his roots in Quebec. Two very significant regions to the future success of the NDP and why the next election will be a real knock em and drag em out fight, between the Libs and the NDP, neither of which will win, and in so doing they will extend the Conservative reign until 2o2o.
The best we can hope for is a fall back to a minority government in that scenario.
However, there is still the option of pre election cooperation in conservative ridings amongst the opposition parties to run only one candidate through a pre election nomination amongst the three parties. That will ensure at worst a con minority and at best a potential change in government.
You put your finger on the issue. Without a full blow merger we are ensuring conservative success. Both parties partisan priority seems to be eclipsing any talk of merger, therefor, as I have been advocating now for three elections, starting with the Shun Lunn campaign, a pre election cooperation strategy is likely the NDP’s only hope to make further political gains at the Federal level.
Without it the NDP will eventually find its way back to its historical role in the house as the conscious of the nation and irrelevant bit player with third party status. With it however, the NDP could hold the balance of power and really influence the agenda of the country.
Its a bitter sweet moment, many are still punch drunk with the dream of an NDP government, but the hangover will soon set in.
Well stated Kevin. It will be interesting to see how Trudeau, the sequel turns out.