Time Up for Trudeau

Justin Trudeau is a dynast. His father Pierre Trudeau was prime minister of Canada from 1968-1979 and again from 1980-1984

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER

Pierre Trudeau was a French-speaking separatist. He fought for decades to make Quebec, Canada’s large French-dominated province, a separate sovereign nation.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as his son Justin has shown.

Pierre Trudeau lost power in 1984 but Quebec’s bid to secede from Canada continued. A final 1995 referendum for an independent Quebec was defeated by the narrowest of margins: 50.58 per cent voting against secession and 48.42 per cent voting in favour.

Quebec has subsequently reconciled to being a part of Canada. It is economically prosperous and Montreal is one of Canada’s trendiest cities. Vancouver in British Columbia on Canada’s west coast may have beautiful views but Montreal has undefinable cool.

Justin Trudeau became prime minister in 2015. Now in his third term, Trudeau has been one of Canada’s most controversial leaders. While he cultivates a modern woke image and has packed his cabinet with ethnic minorities and women, a racist gene occasionally pops up.

In 2019, Time magazine published photographs and videos of Trudeau in 2001, when he was 30, wearing blackface and brownface make-up at a themed party. Trudeau admitted the make-up idea was racist and apologised.

More serious allegations have haunted Trudeau in his near-decade as prime minister, including corruption, nepotism and kow-towing to China. Trudeau is accused of shielding China over its interference in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 general elections.