Editor, The Times:
Since the overwhelming victory — almost a coronation one might say — of Justin Trudeau's Liberals, I've been hearing about how immature Justin, the son of Pierre, is. He's simply not ready to be leader of the land of the great North, etc.
Justin Trudeau — not enough experience, not ready to be prime minister? Compared to who?
If one wanted experience, a man who knew government inside and out, it would have been Tom Mulcair. However, the will of the people nixed that one. Or maybe it was just anyone but Harper?
However, back to the inexperienced Trudeau. In what way, besides the obvious that he has not held a major government post, is he not experienced enough?
Let's look at Stephen Harper. He studied as an economist but never practiced, worked as a mail clerk, then hired out with the ultra-right National Citizens Coalition – onto the Reform Party – fell out with Preston Manning, back to National Citizens Coalition (and his time with NCC really came out during Harper's majority years) then back to politics to become prime minister. Is this what qualified him?
Justin Trudeau, who will be 44 next Christmas, has a B.A. from McGill and a B.Ed. from UBC. He taught French and math at West Point Point Gray Academy in Vancouver.
In other words Trudeau had to get up in the morning and go to work at a real job for a number of years.
In 2002 – 2004 he studied engineering at University of Montreal. Other accomplishments include a role in the CBC mini-series, The Great War. He also led an expedition into the Nahanni Valley to stop a potential mining rape and pillage of that area. Oh horrors! He's not business friendly!
So, all of this disqualifies Trudeau from being prime minister?
On a personal level, Justin is said to be as intelligent as Pierre but lacks his father's Achilles heel in that he is far less arrogant and more compassionate (he gets this from his mother).
This disqualifies him from being leader of this Fair Land (at least it was until Harper got a hold of things).
It's for the future to decide whether the Trudeau Liberals' majority will be a stunning success, an utter disaster, or somewhere in between.
In the meantime, there's a lot of growing up for the rest of us Canadians.
Especially that 30 per cent of Harper supporters who would vote for him, no matter what.
Dennis Peacock
Clearwater, B.C.