Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada?

The father, the son and the holy ghost.  Although to someone of sane mind it seems unlikely, to others with a mind to adore celebrity it seems perfectly reasonable.  We fondly thought of the father as Canada's own philosopher-king.  That cerebral functioning ended with the sire.  The dam was somewhat less elevated in cerebral functioning, and it seems that the genetic inheritance of Justin Trudeau, a little bit of this, a little bit of that, is absent his father's light-hearted gravitas, but fully invested with his mother's heavy-hearted frivolity.

He had, in fact, found his vocation.  With degrees in literature and education he was teaching drama and French at West Point Grey Academy in Vancouver.  By all accounts, he enjoyed his position there.  He liked teaching.  Doubtless his students enjoyed being taught by him, as well.  So, then, why move on?  Another calling sounded its siren call.  Perhaps better put, people became enthralled with the vision of the son-of entering politics and began a persuasive campaign. 

To which Justin Trudeau responded with alacrity.  To his credit he chose not an easy seat to represent.  By all accounts through a regimen of hard work, meeting and greeting and presenting himself wherever it was felt he could impress and persuade, he managed to be elected.  Solidly enough to return again with an even larger majority.  A popular figure, an approachable individual, personable, good-natured and quick with responses.  He represents Papineau riding in Montreal.

"Justin was organized.  He worked hard. It's being present at 7 in the morning and sometimes at 10 or 11 at night, for the whole of the campaign.  It's going door-to-door, doing interviews, pressing the flesh.  These are the things good politicians do.  He does it.  He's very good at it."  Luc Cousineau, riding association president.

The consummate politician.  It's in his blood.  He enjoys what he does.  He likes meeting people, focusing on them, leaving them with the impression that he cares about what it is they care about.  As long as they care about what he does, sharing his perspective as a social liberal.  And women in particular appear to be drawn to his persona, and more to the point, his appearance.

Justin Trudeau is a man with a quick-draw-mouth.  Not reflective, nor introspective, but quick at the draw.  And he will say whatever trips off his tongue, however inappropriate.  His stated support for a Quebec vote for separation because of his distaste for the Conservative-led government and his suspicions of where he imagines they want to point the country toward ideologically makes him sympathetic to a sovereign Quebec.

This is not reflective of his father's considerable efforts in that area.  His fling at unparliamentary language, disparaging the honesty of a Minister of the Crown, did him no favours, but did reveal the measure of his impetuosity, a trait not valuable the least bit for a politician.  His off-the-cuff policy statements speak of shallow determinations.  The Liberal Party may feel itself well served by a leader who is not careful in his statements, given to buoyantly carefree expression rather than considering the import of a statement. 

The Liberal Party may, in the final analysis, decide to elevate a politician with little practical experience, and no evident capacity for nation-building-and-retention, nor policy experience, nor the resourcefulness of an acute intelligence, and they can have him.  They will have him, in the expectation that his popular image will help them regain their former status.  Feeling that his failings can be compensated by surrounding him with seasoned policy advisers.

But the electorate, one can only hope, will be somewhat more discerning, and perhaps in the end, decide that the Liberal Party should remain where it now finds itself, in a dismal third-place standing, richly deserved.