The Trudeau 2013 Christmas Card

Trudeau Christmas Card - Front

Earlier I’d posted the official Christmas Card from Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his family.

This week, the official Christmas Card from Leader of the Liberal Party, Justin Trudeau and his family arrived in our office. Here is the front, back and inside. Thank you, Trudeaus — and a very merry Christmas to all of you! Continue reading The Trudeau 2013 Christmas Card

Trudeau asked for it and the government delivers: Relief fund matching program extended

In order to encourage more of these kinds of civil moments in our House of Commons, I highlight the following exchange from Question Period on Nov. 19 (my emphasis):

Mr. Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Lib.):  Mr. Speaker, all parliamentarians are united in expressing our sympathy to the people of the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan.  Liberals wish to offer our full support for the $20 million in aid that the government has provided, in addition to matching private donations.    Given lessons we all learned from the tragedy in Haiti, would the government consider two other measures? Would it extend the deadline for matching funds until the end of the calendar year, and would it grant visa extensions for workers, students and temporary workers from the typhoon area?

 Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC):     Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the support of the Liberal Party for this matter. I think it is a matter in which all Canadians are united. This is a humanitarian tragedy of immense dimensions that deeply touches Canadians across the country, and I can, of course, assure the hon. member that as we move forward we will apply the appropriate flexibility on all of these matters.

And here is today’s press release, under the name of International Development Minister Christian Paradis.
“As we approach Christmas, I encourage Canadians to keep donating to registered Canadian charities, and our government will match eligible donations, dollar-for-dollar, right up to December 23, 2013,” said Minister Paradis
If you can, please give. (Details on how to do so in the press release)

The things politicians say to kids about drugs …

https://twitter.com/Monstereditor/statuses/400738484664545280

James O’Connor is a journalist, the managing editor of the Brandon Sun newspaper.  As you can see from the picture above, he was in the room when Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau visited a school earlier this week.

The kids were curious about Trudeau’s stand on pot. One of them asked him about it.  Continue reading The things politicians say to kids about drugs …

Senate Scandal? What scandal? We've got Trudeau to cover!

Trudeau and Dubourg
DRUMMONDVILLE, QC: Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau (left) introduces Bourassa candidate Emmanuel Dubourg at the meeting of the General Council of the Liberal Party of Canada (Quebec) on Nov. 9, 0213. (Monia Puzet/QMI AGENCY)

As we left the House of Commons last Friday before a “break week”, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair — the leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition — had spent much of the week giving Prime Minister Stephen Harper the gears over the so-called Senate scandal. Noted curmudgeon political columnist Andrew Coyne called Mulcair’s performance the best he’d seen in Question Period.

But the triumph for Mulcair — and the doldrums for Harper — were to be shortlived.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau was hitting the road as “break week” opened up — and was ready to steal the headliness. Continue reading Senate Scandal? What scandal? We've got Trudeau to cover!

Trudeau tweet provokes debate on mandatory minimums

The first one to take a kick at this week’s political football was Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, who said on Twitter on Sunday he would be prepared to reconsider some of the mandatory minimum sentence provisions brought in by the Harper government over the last few years.

Ok. Interesting idea. Tell me more. Which, in Trudeau’s view would be the most likely mandatory minimum sentence (hereinfter known as MMS) provisions to roll back?

He didn’t expand on this on Twitter, so I e-mailed Trudeau’s press people yesterday morning with this message: Continue reading Trudeau tweet provokes debate on mandatory minimums

Trudeau would re-think Harper's mandatory minimum sentences

Earlier this month, a judge in Kitchener, Ont. said he was “embarrassed” to do what Parliament had told him to do and levy a “victim surcharge” fine on those convicted of crimes.

Last month, a judge in Manitoba said the decision by Parliament (i.e. the Conservative majority) to impose mandatory miniumum sentences in all cases results in “cruel and unusual punishment” in some cases. The judge ignore Parliament’s wish and did not impose a mandatory minimum sentence.

Those two judges — and others who don’t like Parliament telling them what to do — have a friend in Justin Trudeau who, a few minutes ago on Twitter, responded to a question about mandatory miniumums this way:

 

Conservatives pitch for cash on Trudeau's China comment

If you’re a member of the Conservative Party of Canada, this is in your inbox tonight (I, not the Conservatives, have added the link here):

Friend,

You’re not going to believe this.

Last night, Justin Trudeau told a crowd of Liberal supporters that the government he most admired was – wait for it – a dictatorship.

He was asked “besides Canada, which nation’s administration do you most admire, and why?”

Here’s his full quote:

“There’s a level of admiration I actually have for China because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around.”
– Justin Trudeau, November 7, 2013

Friend – we did not make this up.

We can’t let this man be our next Prime Minister – donate $25 or whatever you can afford right now so we can fight back.

Sincerely,

Paul Calandra
MP, Oak Ridges-Markham

The country Justin Trudeau most admires? You won't believe it.

Smog in China
Residents ride bicycles along a street amid heavy haze in Xingtai, Hebei province November 3, 2013. Dense smog has periodically shrouded major cities in north and northeast China in recent years, raising increasing public discontent, Xinhua News Agency reported. (REUTERS/China Daily)

So, the ladies had questions. Like this one:

“Which nation, besides Canada, which nation’s administration do you most admire, and why?”

There were about 100 people in the crowd  at swank downtown Toronto meeting place who’d paid $250 each to be able to ask Justin Trudeau questions and, as the ad said, to “really get to know the future prime minister.”

Ok, so other than Canada, which country’s government does Trudeau “most admire”? Continue reading The country Justin Trudeau most admires? You won't believe it.

Yo! You Liberal Ladies! Give us your cash and we give you JT!

Ladies

The ad above is not made up. It’s lifted straight from the Liberal Party of Canada web site. It’s for a fundraiser to be held Thursday night..

Michelle Rempel is a) a woman b) a cabinet minister c) a political opponent. She saw this and tweeted: Continue reading Yo! You Liberal Ladies! Give us your cash and we give you JT!