Ottawa

Justin Trudeau keeps getting our attention

Tease the day: Is Trudeau just looking for a fight?

CP/Richard Lam

I have this theory that Justin Trudeau, who you definitely know by now has said all kinds of things, doesn’t care about bad press. I also have a parallel theory that, when Trudeau makes an emphatic statement about something, he’s not sure how he’ll defend it until a gaggle of reporters shove their microphones in his face. I’m being a bit facetious, of course. But let’s look at yesterday’s events: Trudeau both defended the now defunct long-gun registry, and called it a public policy failure, in basically the same breath. He said he’d vote to save it again, just as he did several months ago, but also that he’s “not going to resuscitate it,” because it’s too divisive.  That messy explanation has John Ivison basically crafting future Conservative attack ads on the front page of the National Post. And it has people like me pointing that out. And it has future commenters beneath this post saying one thing or another about Trudeau’s lunacy, or at least his consistent inconsistency.

I don’t think he cares. I don’t know exactly why he wouldn’t care, because Ivison’s fictional attack ad, or something that closely resembles it, is probably already in production somewhere near the fiery gates of Hell. Maybe it’s because Trudeau really, really can’t wait for that fight. Maybe he’s daring his enemies to throw everything they have at him. Maybe he’s just that arrogant.


What’s above the fold this morning?

The Globe and Mail leads with American warnings to Syria not to deploy chemical weapons (a similar story appears online). The National Post fronts Justin Trudeau’s comments on the defunct gun registry, The Duchess of Cambridge’s pregnancy, and Canada’s isolated position on Israeli-Palestinian relations. The Toronto Star goes above the fold with Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews’ vow to identify health clinics that provided substandard care to patients (not online). The Ottawa Citizen leads with the federal government’s problem with space brain drain to other countries. iPolitics fronts former Liberal MP Don Boudria’s support for Trudeau’s position on the gun registry. National Newswatch showcases a Postmedia column about how there’s room for a non-populist party—that is, an alternative to Conservatives and the NDP—in Canada’s political landscape.


Stories that will be (mostly) missed

1. EI delays. For years, the federal government hasn’t consistently fulfilled its promise to provide hearings within 30 days to Canadians who believe they were unfairly denied EI. 2. Senate reform. The Leader of the Government in the Senate says that, once the House of Commons passes Senate reform legislation, the upper chamber will approve it.
3. LRT builder. A leading bidder for rights to build Ottawa’s light rail system is SNC-Lavalin, a Canadian giant that’s currently mired in legal battles related to corruption. 4. Mountie Charter challenge. Three RCMP officers who were told they could “buy back” pension benefits after working part-time, and later told the opposite, are mounting a Charter challenge.

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