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6 Weeks that defined Trudeau’s Prime Ministership

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April 20, 2016

6 Weeks that defined Trudeau’s Prime Ministership

By Andrew Cardozo

The Hill Times:

THE SIX WEEKS THAT DEFINED TRUDEAU’S PRIME MINISTERSHIP

The new guy has left the trash-talking, prize fighters in the dust. He stuck to the high road and now he’s the only one standing. Why? Because he read Canadians a lot better than his experienced opponents.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the release of the 2016 Federal budget. The new leader’s hard work, discipline, and genuine desire to talk to people has served him well this spring, writes Andrew Cardozo.

Photograph taken on the grounds of Rideau Hall on November 4, 2015, during the swearing-in of the new government.

By ANDREW CARDOZO

PUBLISHED in the Hill Times: Monday, April 18, 2016 12:00 AM

‘He’s just not ready!’ Remember that? It seems so long ago.

The six weeks from the beginning of March to mid-April represent a serious turning point in how Canadians perceive the new prime ministership of Justin Trudeau.

Let’s start with the first ministers’ meeting on climate change in Vancouver on March 3. Here was the not-so-ready prime minister having his second federal-provincial meeting—the kind that had not happened in a decade—on a complicated issue, and he got all the premiers to agree to a plan, including Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, the de facto leader of the conservative opposition in Canada.

Then there was the state visit to Washington a week later. A resounding success, replete with pomp and ceremony, style and yes, substance. Was he ever ready!

He was hardly back from Washington and he made a short trip to New York and the United Nations, where he announced Canada’s plans to seek a seat on the Security Council, with the strong message that “Canada is back” and respects the UN.

And, come to think of it, he performed just fine on those other pre-Christmas meetings of world leaders in Malta, Turkey, the Philippines and France.

Pedigree helps with the pressure

So here is our new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who performs very successfully in very high profile situations. Watching him in Washington, you had to ask, where did that come from? Partial answer: pedigree.

The pedigree certainly came in useful as he sailed through his Washington trip with great ease. It was instructive to hear his very personal words to the Obama children during his state dinner speech.

Addressing Sasha and Malia he said, “I admire you very much, both of you, for your extraordinary strength and your grace through what is a remarkable childhood and young adulthood that will give you extraordinary strength and wisdom beyond your years for the rest of your life. The one thing you have received from your extraordinary parents is the tools to be able to handle the challenges and the opportunities in front of you. So thank you very much for joining us tonight.”

Spoken as one world leader brat to two others.

It has to be that amorphous thing called pedigree. Justin was all of 12 years old when his father left 24 Sussex and returned to a rather private private life, even though they did a few international trips thereafter and various world leaders called on them.

Elizabeth Gray-Smith, daughter of the late Herb Gray who was deputy prime minister from 1997 to 2002, explains it from her vantage point: “We grew up seeing the best.”

Trudeau does seem to thrive on big, high pressure meetings. So the pedigree accounts for the style. But for this relatively new politician, where does the substance come from?

It’s got to be simple hard work. Journalist Susan Delacourt tells people to look at the famous boxing match with Senator Patrick Brazeau in 2012. “He is underestimated and he is disciplined.”

Discipline trumps experience

Yes, he was a bit of a boxer, but it was the training and determination to succeed that is the metaphor for how Justin Trudeau operates. He decides on a task and focuses on it until he has it beat. While he has never pretended to have the policy depth and breadth of his father, he seems to have the ability to be extraordinarily disciplined and focused for the things that count.

As an aside though, he talks openly about how his wife, Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau keeps him grounded.

March also saw the first budget of the new administration. Bold and determined. You can’t argue any longer that this government doesn’t know what it’s doing – you may disagree with the direction, but it is clear. Middle class tax cuts, innovation agenda, Indigenous reconciliation, infrastructure and investment in the economy through deficit spending, to name the highlights.

The Senate appointments, announced on March 18 and sworn in on April 12, have met much praise.

There are two bars he has to meet. The low bar was set by his predecessor. Not being Stephen Harper and being more open, more willing to work with all the players, such as Indigenous Peoples, labour, the premiers and ordinary folks puts him well over this bar.

The high bar was set by himself in two stages: the party platform which reaches far and wide, and the ministerial mandate letters, which set a high standard for his ministers both in terms of their portfolios and their expected behaviour and comportment.

The high bar is harder to surpass, but because he jumps over the low bar so well, Canadians might be flexible. To quote Conservative strategist Kory Teneycke, “if he comes on stage with his pants on, he will probably exceed expectations.” Teneycke meant it to be a bit more disparaging, but he was prescient nevertheless.

It should also be said that he has another mark of a good leader: he has attracted a strong caucus, appointed a strong cabinet and hired a strong team in the PMO, who are all part of this well-coordinated but not overly controlled operation.

Nice guys don’t always finish last

And in terms of his opponents, Stephen Harper stepped down on election night, which after ten years as prime minister, raised no eyebrows. But then on April 10 there was the shocker: the other highly-experienced opponent, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair, got a stunning 48 per cent support for his leadership and was forced to step down, which he says he will do when the party selects his successor.

Suddenly, it’s becomes so clear; the new guy has left the trash-talking, prize fighters in the dust. He stuck to the high road and now he’s the only one standing. Why? Because he read Canadians a lot better than his experienced opponents. Remember how Mulcair turned down the women’s issues debate because he would only go to debates with Harper? And how did that work out for him?

The two opposition parties are now on track for long leadership races with the NDP also deep in an existential debate on its direction.

So here we are in mid April with—imagine this—some signs of an improving economy, a moderate strengthening of the dollar and a slow and steady increase in employment and the price of oil. The government’s direction is clear and the markets are responding positively. OMG. The deficit might just take care of itself!

The relatively new government has taken steps to keep many of its promises, and has implemented some with tweaks: a long form census, Syrian refugees, a gender parity cabinet, openness in government, taking a consultative approach, etc.

So there are some lessons to remember from the past six weeks: lead with what you have, work hard where it really counts, be nice, dream big and be visionary, keep as many promises as possible.

And, quite simply, talk to people!

Andrew Cardozo is president of the Pearson Centre for Progressive Policy and an adjunct professor at Carleton University.