Editor:
Any of our smug musings over the political election circus in the U.S. should take pause and reflect on the current state of our own political puff.
Our new prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has been playing a long-awaited compassionate new tune – welcoming refugees, marching in Gay Pride parades, legalizing pot, and cuddly photo-ops with baby panda bears. He also has terrific abs, lovely hair, and can do a one-armed push-up. What’s not to love? His cross-pollination into a celebrity culture hereditary icon and reality show star has evolved into the Canadian version of “Keeping up with the Trudeaus.” After the nine-year run of the Harper horror show, we deserved a real change. When Trudeau went to Paris to internationalize his role, he got his chance to play the pied piper for action on climate change. Wasn’t that a time.
Promising to “take on a new leadership role internationally,” relying on “scientific evidence and advice” and, most significantly, his promises to renew the nation-to-nation relationship between Canada and First Nations “that respected constitutionally protected Aboriginal and treaty rights” was downright inspiring. But he was just telling a story to get elected, and it was just a lie. Shame on him and shame on his government.
This summer, Trudeau’s DFO issued the permits to allow the construction of the Site C Dam in a clear violation of the Treaty 8 First Nations. You can’t be the pied piper of treaty rights and climate change fighters if you are just blowing hot air.
By allowing Premier Christy “da Fracker” Clark to continue her absurd pursuit of LNG by ignoring the science regarding our suicidal relationship with fossil fuels, Trudeau demonstrated that leadership in dangerous times requires more than rippling stomach muscles and a princely heritage.
Neil Bryson, Halfmoon Bay
