Justin Trudeau Steps up to the Plate

Most of we 'sophisticates' view Justin Trudeau as somewhat of a dilettante, a lightweight who like many to the manor born, use their family name and connections to advance their career despite being a pale imitation of the original.

Nobody would accuse Justin of commanding the intellectual sagacity of his father, nor the political savvy and so we might dismiss him as just another rich-boy living off the reputation of his wildly successful pater.

But sometimes genius is actually a disadvantage, especially in politics where intellect without scrappiness, pragmatism and naked ambition is just a waste and where  'smart' politicians who are ultimately unsuccessful are a dime a dozen.

It is extremely rare that we find profound intellect coupled with the above traits in our political leaders, but it does happen, as in the case of Bill Clinton and yes, Justin's father, Pierre-Elliot.

But if one has to choose between a highly intellectual leader who possesses none of the above-described attributes, it is actually prefereable to go for the more pedestrian brain, one imbued with those traits necessary for political success.

Nobody would claim that Jean Chretien was an intellectual giant, but as a Prime Minister he was one of our most successful.
On the opposite end of the scale was President Jimmy Carter, who boasted a genius IQ of 174 and yet was a woefully inept and ineffective president, drummed out of office after four years of failure.
Other good examples of unfulfilled genius are Bob Rae, Joe Clark and Paul Martin, overthinkers who thought themselves right out of a job.

So sometimes, just sometimes, being a sophisticated thinker is a disadvantage in a job that requires swift, decisive and often bold action.
Remember the fable of  the simple young lad who was the only one who dared to expose the ruse of the Emperors New Clothes?

By denouncing proposed measures by the PQ to further restrict English by bolstering provisions in Bill 101, Justin the 'simple,' has demonstrated more political boldness and bravery than all our federal Quebec politicians combined.
While all the smart politicians tow the line of appeasement, the politically expedient thing to do, Justin has set himself apart from the pack of those insipidly timid boys who profess to be the smartest in the room.

"Justin Trudeau has pressed one of the hottest issue buttons in Quebec, saying there's no need to toughen the province's language laws.
During a visit to Quebec City on Thursday, the Liberal leadership candidate was asked by reporters about plans by the Parti Québécois provincial government to toughen so-called Bill 101, Quebec's French-language charter.
The pro-independence PQ calls the matter urgent, following census data that suggests a decline in francophones' demographic weight in the province.Trudeau's response: The PQ language policy is unnecessary and counter-productive.
While he expressed support for the old Bill 101, pointing out that it has allowed French to thrive in a Quebec nestled in a bilingual Canada, Trudeau said Thursday that adding teeth now to the language law risks needlessly reigniting old battles.
"I think we are revisiting old debates," Trudeau said.
"The majority of people in Papineau" — his Montreal riding — "in Quebec City and across Quebec are focused on their jobs, the economy, health and education of their children to participate fully in this era of globalization in which we live." Read the rest of the story

In bravely daring to take on and denounce the entrenched dogma of the PQ and its language extremists, Justin has proved that he has indeed inherited some of the admirable traits of his father, confidence, feistiness, pluckiness, and the intestinal fortitude to pursue an unpopular political course because he believes it is the right thing to do.

So intellect aside, does Justin possess enough of the other political tools necessary to become an effective and successful leader?

Let us start at the beginning, his choice of constituency, the very working class riding of Papineau in Montreal, where he chose to run against advice and where his victory surprised political pundits who had all but conceded the riding to the Bloc Quebecois.
In choosing Papineau, he actually out-bolded his father, who chose to represent a comfortable Liberal bastion, the wealthy, mostly Jewish, riding of Mont-Royal.
Choosing to make a stand in Papineau was a political statement extrodinaire, one that proved that Liberal politics combined with an electric personality can win in Quebec.
His victory heralded the fact that under the right circumstances, almost all ridings in Quebec would be in play.
And now polls are confirming this, with the Liberals trending up to the point that they are more popular than the Ndp in Quebec.
It is not unthinkable to consider that a Justin leadership could bring up to fifty Quebec seats to Parliament, not enough to displace Harper right now, but enough to toss the Ndp from official opposition.

Then there is his fearlessness, demonstrated by his choice to enter the charity boxing ring against a stronger and more able opponent.

"In a stunning upset, Liberal MP Justin Trudeau brawled his way to a third-round TKO victory over Conservative Sen. Patrick Brazeau. The referee stopped the fight in the third and final round.
This came after several halts during which the referee had Brazeau do a standing count to see if he was fit to continue.
It was an astonishing turn of events, which followed weeks of speculation that Trudeau would not only be beaten, but injured. Brazeau was a three-to-one favourite to win. He has a background in martial arts and formerly served as a reservist in the Canadian Forces." Link

So why did Justin win?
Hard work, perseverance and a strong will to succeed, coupled with a work ethic that saw him train as diligently and relentlessnessly as a heavyweight boxer preparing for a bout. 
Any questions or doubts about  Justin's staying power or commitment were cast aside by his performance, which utterly shocked those who were convinced he had bit off more than he could chew.
The conservative Sun TV News channel was so enthralled with the idea of Justin getting his ass kicked that they carried the event live, his victory a bitter disappointment.

Finally and most importantly, Justin seems willing to take on the separatist PQ government as no other politician dares to, including Prime Minister Harper who seems deathly afraid to cause offence.
He seems to be embracing and promoting  good common sense, respect, and stands for the inclusion of all provinces in the Canadian mosaic.

Most deliciously, he is a populist that the separatists are deathly afraid of, no matter what brave face they put on.
Just look at the ink Justin generates on vigile.net, where copious amounts of vitriol flow in his direction.
Link1{Fr}   Link2{Fr}

How long has it been since we had a real champion of federalism in Quebec and how refreshing to see a politician do the right thing and take a real stand?

So is Justin a lightweight, not smart enough for the job? Not by my standards, not by a longshot. 

Consider this....
You are walking down an alley with a couple of friends when you are confronted by a group of thugs looking for a fight.
On one side you are flanked by your friend, the smartest guy you know, who announces that he will reason with the ruffians. On the other side is another friend, a behemoth who is the provincial martial arts champion.
Who are you going to tap in? ....Brains or brawn?

Justin Trudeau is exactly what we need as leader of the Liberal party, he is the one politician federalists in Quebec can look to for leadership and support.

So sometimes, just sometimes, brains isn't cracked up to be the be-all and end-all.

Readers, I write this post in support of Justin Trudeau, NEVER HAVING VOTED  LIBERAL IN MY LIFE!

Is he perfect?...No
Is he ideal?...No

But if Justin Trudeau wins the leadership of the Liberal party, I will probably change my vote, because he possesses the most elusive of political traits....INTEGRITY.

Think about it........

Let me leave you with some lyrics from the song "I need a Hero" sung by Bonnie Tyler.

 ♬ ♪ ♫  
"Where have all good men gone
And where are all the gods?
Where’s the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?

Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need

I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night
He’s gotta be strong
And he’s gotta be fast
And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light
He’s gotta be sure
And it’s gotta be soon
And he’s gotta be larger than life" 
 ♫♩♬ 
Have a listen