鈥淭onight we鈥檒l dispense with the formalities. I鈥檇 like to toast the future prime minister of sa国际传媒: to Justin Pierre Trudeau,鈥� Richard Nixon said at a gala buffet in April 1972 during a state visit to Ottawa when Trudeau was just four months old.
According to a contemporary news wire report, Trudeau鈥檚 father Pierre, then nearing the end of his first four-year Liberal mandate as prime minister, responded that should his eldest son 鈥� born on Christmas Day 1971 鈥� ever become sa国际传媒鈥檚 leader, 鈥淚聽hope he has the grace and skill of the president.鈥�
Nixon, of course, went on to infamy, while Pierre Trudeau governed sa国际传媒 for 16 years in all and ushered in a new Canadian Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Today, Justin Pierre James Trudeau is tantalizingly close to fulfilling Nixon鈥檚 prophecy 鈥� polls had the Liberals leading heading into the final weekend before Monday鈥檚 vote 鈥� and there鈥檚 a certain symmetry in that he鈥檚 seeking to replace Stephen Harper, a prime minister described as 鈥渁lmost Nixonian鈥� by Harper鈥檚 own former chief of staff Tom Flanagan.
Sunny, approachable, sometimes too quick with a quip, relaxed in front of a camera and publicly eschewing the dark political arts, Trudeau has presented himself to Canadians as the open-book antidote to a decade of flinty, guarded Conservative governance.
鈥淢y vision of sa国际传媒 is open and confident and hopeful,鈥� he said in a speech to a massive Liberal rally this month in Brampton, Ont.
鈥淗arper wants Canadians to be afraid that there鈥檚 a terrorist hiding behind every leaf and rock. That there鈥檚 a sea of economic troubles lapping at our shores. I聽don鈥檛 see things that way. I have confidence in sa国际传媒 and in Canadians.鈥�
Having lived much of his 43 years in the public eye, Trudeau needs little introduction to Canadians. He鈥檚 the first to recognize the downside.
The Trudeau name is like a magnet, attracting or repelling depending on one鈥檚 political polarity.
鈥淭he association with my father was never a reason for me to get into politics,鈥� Trudeau wrote last year in his memoir, Common Ground. 鈥淚t was, rather, a reason for me to avoid entering the political arena.鈥�
Nonetheless, at critical junctures in this extraordinarily long 78-day campaign, Trudeau has championed his father鈥檚 legacy.
During a leaders鈥� debate on foreign policy late last month in Toronto, a jibe from NDP Leader Tom Mulcair raised the Liberal leader鈥檚 ire.
鈥淟et me say very clearly, I am incredibly proud to be Pierre Elliot Trudeau鈥檚 son,鈥� said Trudeau, before citing the charter, multiculturalism and bilingualism as inheritances the country can take pride in.
Indeed, the five election debates were a crucial proving ground during a campaign in which he has seen adoring crowds 鈥� and a buzz saw of Conservative attack ads, NDP eye-rolling and skeptical media squinting.
Too young. Too inexperienced. Too glib. Too rich. Too carefree.
He volunteered that he鈥檇 accepted speaking fees, including from charitable organizations, while serving as an MP 鈥� an acknowledgment for which he was pilloried. He said he鈥檇 smoked pot, also as an MP, for which he was lampooned.
But Trudeau has also made a number of tough calls that too few of his detractors credit.
As recently as this past week, he threw his election campaign co-chairman overboard after Dan Gagnier wrote to Transsa国际传媒 advising the pipeline builder how to lobby a new government. He also literally shouted down his own supporters when they jeered repeated media questions on the controversy.
鈥淗ey, guys. Guys! Hey! We have respect for journalists in this country,鈥� Trudeau snapped Thursday in Montreal.
鈥淭hey ask tough questions and they鈥檙e supposed to. OK?鈥�
Trudeau likes to say his campaign bid is based on platform and team, not name recognition 鈥� or presidential prophecy.
Besides, who wants an endorsement from Richard Nixon?
