EDITORIAL: Trudeau weakens us from within

Published Dec 26, 2024  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau departs after a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. Photo by Spencer Colby /The Canadian Press

United States president-elect Donald Trump was back trolling Canadians this week, suggesting Wayne Gretzky should be prime minister.

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“I just left Wayne Gretzky, ‘The Great One,’ as he is known in ice hockey circles,” Trump posted on his Truth Social site on Christmas Day.

“I said, ‘Wayne, why don’t you run for prime minister of Canada, soon to be known as the governor of Canada — you would win easily, you wouldn’t even have to campaign.’ He had no interest,” Trump reported.

Many in this country would nod in agreement that a national treasure such as Gretzky would make a great PM. Who better to run the country than The Great One?

It’s no surprise the Brantford native turned down Trump’s suggestion. Gretzky understands what makes Canadians tick.

In one short post, Trump displays a terrible ignorance of this country. Most importantly, he refers to our national obsession as “ice hockey.” As if there’s any other form of hockey that’s important here.

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Of secondary interest, Trump betrays a shocking lack of understanding of the Canadian parliamentary system. To become prime minister, Gretzky would first have to get elected as a member of Parliament and then get elected leader of a party.

He’d have no problem, for sure. But, unlike in the U.S., it would take years; Canadians are in high dudgeon that Trump is once again poking us in the eye. He smells blood in the water. Like a shark, he’s circling.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is weak but refuses to step down. The House of Commons has reached an impasse. No work is being done because the Liberals refuse to hand over documents related to a green slush fund. This is a shameful breach of parliamentary privilege. Trudeau is weakened further by the resignation of his former finance minister Chrystia Freeland.

Her scathing resignation letter confirmed what many Canadians had been thinking.

Trudeau is doing what many weakened leaders do — hanging on past his best-before date because he believes he’s The Anointed One; the only person who can run Canada.

As long as he hangs on, he’s weakening the country more than Trump. At a time of global uncertainty, we need a leader with strength and courage. That’s not Trudeau. It’s time for an election.

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