Those of us who follow politics fairly closely know that there is frequently less than meets the eye in the Trudeau government. Certainly, the Prime Minister talks a reasonably good game, and his selfies are world-renowned, but scratch the surface and you will find increasing evidence that the emperor is, at the very least, scantily-clad.
There is, of course, Trudeau's widely-known betrayal of his election-campaign commitment to electoral reform. We were told that there just was no consensus, a claim widely ridiculed since the government never asked Canadians what new voting system they preferred.
But even more worrying than that lie is the disparity that exists between his rhetoric about climate change and the reality of what he is pursuing in relative secrecy, one that seems to be very close to what we often euphemistically call 'industry self-regulation'. Gloria Galloway writes:
Environmental groups say they are surprised to learn that the federal Liberal government has been rewriting and consolidating the regulations governing offshore oil and gas drilling for more than a year without informing them or obtaining much input beyond that of the petroleum industry.Known as the Frontier and Offshore Regulatory Renewal Initiative (FORRI), consultations began last year and are now in their final stages. And the excluded groups are not only environmental organizations, but also indigenous groups, quite remarkable given the Trudeau government's blather about reconciliation.
The current draft of the regulations requires the oil and gas industry to implement the safety measures that companies determine to be "reasonably practicable," but the environmentalists say it imposes no minimum standards.
[This suggests that] the proposed changes would allow the industry to decide what safety measures can be reasonably and practicably implemented, the environmentalists say. They suggest oil and gas companies would be able to argue that some are too expensive or too difficult.
... while the FORRI website includes many responses to the draft regulations from the petroleum industry, the only Indigenous feedback is from the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC), an Inuit company that manages a land claim in the western Arctic. The IRC expressed significant concerns about the initiative and the consultations.Make of all of this what you will, but I don't think one has to be especially cynical to be very, very concerned about giving the oil and gas industry more freedom, worried as we all should be about our collective future, especially given the global climate disruptions we are currently in the midst of.
Other Inuit groups, including the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, which represents Inuit on Baffin Island, say they got no opportunity to give input.
I'm not sure we can expect any better from any politician who embraces neoliberalism. Justin is a market fundamentalist true believer. He's all for trade only with what he promises will be a friendlier face. I can accept that he's well intentioned, at least initially, but he rarely follows through. He probably intended to introduce electoral reform - before he was elected - but abandoned that promise once ensconced in power. He might have believed all the "social licence" business he promised on pipelines but he backed off on that pretty quickly. As he betrayed the voting public, again and again, he did come through for special interests such as the fossil fuel barons. Fortunately for Trudeau his Liberal supporters are okay with his broken promises and betrayals.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that bothers me most about the situation with Trudeau, Mound, is that those who follow politics only peripherally soak up his soothing platitudes and continue on their merry way, unable to see the peril for all of us that his neoliberal pursuits pose.
DeleteNo one, Justin never had any intention of proper electional reform, not from the moment he made the promise, he'd long shown distain for Proportional Representation before the election.
DeleteIt was just a matter for Trudeau to find a face saving way of breaking his promise.
And Trudeau is just a PC Trump, all celebrity no substance, no redeaming qualities at all.
I think that because we chafed under the dark reign of Harper for almost 10 years, Gyor, Trudeau will be forgiven for a long time for his betrayals, simply because he is not Harper and he talks a good game. All celebrity and no substance may prove a lasting historical assessment of his time in office.
DeleteThe greatest betrayal Lorne that Trudeau and his liberal cabinet have done is turned over the governing of Canada over to a group of necon/neoliberal/ corporate/financial/military elite, domestically and globally.
ReplyDeleteHe insists on keeping the ISDS clause in NAFTA and the other "trade" deals. This is the clause of course that bypasses the Canadian judicial system, including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. When Corporations decide that Canadians have infringed on their profits, so their going to sue for the alledged loss. It won't be settled in Canadian courts though. It will be settled by outside entities, consisting of mainly corporate lawyers. The corporations must love him. He is not supporting Canadian interests at all. He is supporting corporate power, these are the only people who benefit from the ISDS clause.
He has the nerve to tell the Canadian public that NAFTA will be very good for workers. This elite group are his advisors and my guess is this includes the neocons from the U.S.
Pretty well from the beginning once elected with a majority and after forming a government Trudeau and the liberal party went rogue. They knew that their neoliberal policies must, for the most part, be implemented behind closed doors and then Trudeau and his cohorts can lie to Canadians about how their policies are done with Canadian interest in mind.
In all areas of economics, politics and foreign policy, Trudeau is allowing a neoliberal, Imperial agenda to reign.
On top of everything else, he is being profoundly dishonest with Canadians. Seeing as neither he nor his government has the power, it is the elites, who have the power and they are the ones who create policy and then dictate to Trudeau what he should say to Canadians. He is more a front man for this group, then a PM for Canadians.
This is a man who has sold our soul to the highest bidder. He is no different then the other political neoliberalists. What's in it for him? Power and money and my guess is he really likes the power. I'm sure his necon advisors make him feel important, after all he is the tool that is going to get them the wealth and power they want. They probably can't believe their luck. A not to bright, but charming PM who has been elected with a majority by his countrymen. The charm is what they and he can use to exploit the Canadian public.
He is almost always on the move, constantly campaigning.If he gets elected with another majority, in the next election, then it is over.Canada as a democracy will be no more.
Your bleak assessment rings all too true, Pamela. Either Trudeau is what they call a 'useful idiot' or he truly identifies with his own kind. Ultimately, it doesn't really matter, does it? The damage is still being inflicted on the country.
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