A Leading Trait

"As part of a renewed Liberal Party -- one that would do politics transparently and democratically -- we were promised open nominations. However events over the past few weeks have led me to decide that this nomination process has been a de facto appointment."
Ryan Davey, Trinity-Spadina byelection

"If you want to be a candidate for the Liberal party, you must think, be and vote like the leader ... Such a unilateral decree is an affront to the historical principles of liberalism."
(former) Liberal MP Tom Wappel

"I think that Trudeau has to be vigilant that this trend does not continue. If this pattern continues, then it could spell trouble for him."
Akaash Maraaj, former national policy chair, federal Liberals

From laid back to authoritarian, that's the scope of potentials, particularly when observing the manifest destiny being carried along on a tide of enthusiasm from a voting public in love with youth and inexperience, or so it would seem. The Trudeau torch has been caught by Justin Trudeau and he holds it aloft in memory of his father who most certainly distinguished himself as a polarizing figure in Canadian politics, one scorned by many, adored by as many other Canadians.

And here is his son and heir, in full, living colour. Unlike his father he comes at an early age to siring a family of his own, and it doesn't seem likely that his marriage, one of generational peers and a certain level of modest accomplishment between both, is likely to implode as did that of his parents. He posits himself as a role model for the middle-class Canadian whom he champions, though his background, name and personal fortune does rather set him aside from the middle-class.

He promised that he would do politics far better than the Conservatives who now administer the country's affairs. Stand his experience beside that of the current Prime Minister, a man who has an economics degree, has worked both in government and for private interests, has achieved high status in both, and who also, though not gregariously inclined as is Trudeau, has mastered artistic accomplishments.

The far more modest accomplishments of Justin Trudeau as a private school drama coach, a motivational speaker, and an aspiring politician with a penchant for talking himself into very awkward positions garnering notice and censure, still leaves him convinced he is imbued with all the characteristics of a prime minister.

Critical of the authoritarian streak manifested by the man whom he would replace, he vowed to listen, to take advice, to represent all Canadians equally.

And, under his leadership, it would be the community who would select the candidate for public office of their choice, not his considered interfering choice. How did it all go so awry, other than for the fact that this is a man who believes in his infallibility of inspired choice, tutored from above by his father? The centralization of power has echoes of a former Trudeau, as does the firmness of self-confidence.

His defenders call it strong leadership. Whereas they counter the strong leadership as practised by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, manipulative, autocratic and anti-democratic. The strong leadership potential of this new leader after a succession of sad duds would haul the federal Liberals from the dustbin of third party status to majority government. His popularity, in fact, augers just that.

He would make the party he heads more democratic than that of the firm-handed, suspicious PMO. Starting with releasing Liberal Senators from party caucus and firmly instructing them to go their own way, leaving behind a profusion of confused and disappointed party loyalists. The Justin Trudeau election team interferes in party nominations. And his unilateral declaration that none need apply who don't hold his firmly intractable position on abortion.

"They raised some concerns [Liberal party head office], but the way I looked at it was the choice was left to me."
"While I appreciate the general need for solidarity within caucus, I cannot abide by a requirement to vote against my personal conscience in this issue [abortion; his notification by the party's 'rapid response team' of their concerns regarding his pro-life activities at Divine Infant Parish]."
"Furthermore, I believe that difficult issues such as balancing the rights of a woman to control her own body against respect for the unborn deserved to be discussed openly in Parliament without preconditions."
Gar Knutson, (former minister) Chretien government Liberal, withdrawing from the Ottawa-Orleans nomination race

He, along with former Liberal MP Dan McTeague, both considering a return to politics, are barred from representing the Liberal Party of Canada under its leader Justin Trudeau, for their anti-abortion stance. So much for the big umbrella that forward-looking Canadians are invited to shelter under, and go forth in unison to represent the interests of the entire country. A balanced debate really is too much to expect under the open-style government of the Liberals, it seems.

But then, the Liberal leader aspiring to the heights in Parliament also prefers to shun it, with sparse appearances during Question Period, referring instead to travel the land to meet Canadians at home and respond to their questions instead, as prospective leader of the country. At least we can sigh with relief that he no longer uses time as a Parliamentarian to bankroll lucrative speaking engagements as he did before becoming party leader.

"Justin Trudeau was demanded by the Liberal party to do a lot of things. And a lot of things included rescuing a party from the brink of oblivion. And if you only lead on the basis of consensus, you would have no direction."
"The party hasn't been robust in laying out its position on issues. It's been too ambivalent or wishy-washy. And quite frankly, Mr. Trudeau's style is quite the opposite of that."
Chretien-era Liberal minister, Ralph Goodale

And he's certainly right on that one.