I was thinking about the recent announcement Justin Trudeau’s intention to run under the Liberal banner in the Papineau riding of Montreal. I don’t know about the political landscape of Montreal, but from what I’ve been reading, the seat is currently held by the Bloc Quebecois. I wonder how much his last name will help or hinder him in a campaign.

What I really wanted to talk about is the reaction I’ve read from English Canadians. The ones that have particularly caught my attention are the ones that say things like, “Who does this guy think he is?” or “God help us! Not another Trudeau!” or even “What has THIS guy ever done to deserve to run?” Such mindsets are absolutely asinine.

Am I biased towards Trudeau because of his late father? Yes. Regardless of how Pierre Trudeau is remembered by history, I know that without his policies and vision of Canada, I wouldn’t exist right now. Just think of the hours you folks have spent reading this blog! Thanks ol’ Pierre for that!

So what right does he have to run? He’s a Canadian citizen. He has JUST as much right to be a backbencher as any other citizen. Is he running for the leadership of the party? No. He’s not. At least not at the moment. If he wants to take an active role in politics, so be it. He’s certainly not less qualified than any number of other MPs who’ve served for multiple terms. Take Joe Fontana, for instance. The guy was in real estate and insurance before getting into city politics. Next thing you know he’s a Liberal MP for London-North Centre! Is Trudeau more qualified than him? Yes, he is.

Here’s another point to consider: Trudeau hasn’t actually won the nomination or the seat yet. While this is all well and good for headlines, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Until the man gets elected, it’s much ado about nothing, as far as I’m concerned. Alright, that’s all for now… til next time…