A Canadian view of Trudeau’s visit to the White House from below the 49th parallel
It was interesting to read in a national newspaper that Americans weren’t very interested in the meeting between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Certainly the scandal involving the departure of National Security Adviser Flynn knocked it off the main radar on day two but here in Florida it played 24/7 for a few days.
From where I’m sitting, Americans are fascinated by our prime minister and generally full of admiration. That positive view rubs off a little on all of us. Maybe it’s due to the fact that Politifact is a project operated by the Tampa Bay Times. Or maybe the number of Canadians in Florida contributed to the high level of coverage but, whatever it was, it was good to see the Canadian flag flying proudly beside a prime minister who definitely did us proud, on networks where we are generally absent.
Millions of Americans are mortified by their president and I think they tend to go with the superficial aspects of our respective leaders as opposed to the issues that really matter. One Washington Post reader wrote: “Justin Trudeau looked like a statesman. Trump looked like a tired, bleached blonde, worn out actor. I am mortified.” Another said, “Trudeau is an example of what a diplomat does. You never upstage another leader (even if you can’t stand their orange guts) in public. Any disagreements are expressed in private. Trump will never learn diplomacy. He can’t even spell the word. Bullying and name calling is all he knows. He hasn’t mentally progressed beyond middle school.” And another: “The contrast between them was embarrassing. Trudeau at ease and fluent, Trump awkward and stiff, with the nastiness only momentarily in check. As he labouriously read his comments, it was clear that he had no idea what he was talking about.”
But substance did emerge. The Democrats are especially interested in any ‘takeaways’ from the Trudeau win, which include defending deficits, defending diversity and promoting optimism. Of the critics, a number made sure to mention that until very recently Canada was muzzling its scientists and shutting out the media too.
I messaged a few friends in Europe, the U.K. and the South Pacific Island nations to ask if they knew about the visit. They did know about it and reported that local media had followed it with great interest. Maybe Canada isn’t as insignificant as that one Canadian news article seemed to suggest. Then again, perhaps the interest stems from the gaffes pouring out of the White House and the field day that late night television is having with Trump and company.
I’d like to ignore how Mr. Trudeau did ‘in comparison’ to Mr. Trump but it’s not easy. I assume that any world leader has to go into meetings with Trump thinking about how they are going to control the situation with a “mercurial leader” (as the G&M likes to call Trump). And they have to be mindful of the power of the U.S. and the many ways they can crush us if they choose. Yet….they also have to ensure that the folks back home don’t see their leader being bullied or manipulated lest they see her/him as weak. It might be easier to stay home but I guess that’s not an option.
I’m a “cut off your nose to spite your face” kind of woman. Frankly, I would have liked Trudeau to have refused to meet with the new president. And yes, I know that’s stupid.
I can’t imagine that even Trudeau critics would see his performance as anything but stellar in this initial meeting with the new U.S. President.
Trudeau’s steadfast refusal to criticize Trump made news all over the U.S. But just as telling was Trump’s refusal to criticize Trudeau. Trump is the king of petty retribution and yet he stood stoic when Trudeau may have thrown a little shade on him by repeating Canada’s commitment to Syrian refugees. Trump immediately touted his efforts to deport illegal immigrants but one news outlet called it “a ‘dodge’ that suggested Trump would not attempt to exact retribution against a Canadian Liberal who has taken unsubtle passive-aggressive jabs at him for more than a year.”
The meeting wasn’t particularly warm but it was cordial. And Mr. Trudeau and his very experienced team used the Trudeau class and charm offensive to their benefit: a photo of Pierre Trudeau at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in 1981 with a young Trump at the podium was gifted to Trump along with a chunk of Ohio stone from recent renovations to the Canadian Parliament’s West Block.
Perhaps in a overly obsequious nod to Trump – and his relationship his daughter Ivanka – the Trudeau team organized a meeting with a group of female executives for a round-table discussion, resulting in the formation of a joint task force on women in business and entrepreneurship. It was a good example of diplomacy and and it enabled Trudeau to present himself as the feminist he is and to demonstrate where he stands rather than answering the question he is always asked as to whether he thinks Mr. Trump is a misogynist.
To any question that would cast the U.S. president in a poor light Trudeau’s response is always: “It is not the job of a Canadian prime minister to opine on the American electoral process. It is the job of the Canadian prime minister to have a constructive working relationship with the president of the United States.” It is the right thing to say and the right way to say it given that we’d be taking a steak knife to a gunfight in a direct confrontation.
One of the most contentious threats to Canada to come out of the Trump White House is a ‘rework’ of NAFTA. Again, Trudeau exuded cool, saying, “we welcome negotiations as Canada, too, has concerns about the trade deal.” Consequently, Trump dialed down the rhetoric and instead of describing them as yuuge…. referred to the changes as “tweaks.”
Asked at the news conference about Mr. Trump’s ban against seven Muslim-majority countries, Mr. Trudeau said Canada’s policy of welcoming refugees balanced security with openness, and those policies would continue. Once again he declined to criticize Mr. Trump’s ban. “The last thing Canadians want is for me to lecture another country on how they should govern.”
Again the prime minister still managed to make a point when he added that Canada continues to “pursue our policies of openness” without compromising security and would serve as a “positive example in the world”. The subtle comparison was lost on no one.
Canada and the U.S. agreed to strengthen ties on energy and promised closer cooperation on border security and defense. And both leaders spoke warmly of the long-standing and economic ties between Canada and the U.S.
I see Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s first meeting with President Donald Trump as an unqualified success even though they disagree on Europe, Russia, the United Nations, immigration, women, refugees and climate change. And they are very different personally too. Trudeau hugs Syrians refugees while Trump vilifies them; Trudeau calls himself a feminist while Trump is the stuff of feminist nightmares; Trudeau is young, elegant, well-educated and well-spoken and Trump is …not.
Given the erratic behaviour of the U.S. president it doesn’t not guarantee that the gains made will endure but the world saw and heard the exchange and I think it bodes fairly well for the next four eggshell-walking years.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looked, acted, spoke and responded to questions like a statesman with dignity, grace, wit and intelligence. The world took note. Canadians of every political stripe should be proud.
Following a career in the hospitality sector and the acquisition of a law and justice degree in her 50s, Dale embarked on a writing career armed with the fanciful idea that a living could be made as a freelancer. To her own great surprise she was right. The proof lies in hundreds of published works on almost any topic but favourites include travel, humour & satire, feature writing, environment, politics and entrepreneurship. Having re-invented herself half a dozen times, Dale doesn’t rule anything out. Her time is divided equally between Muskoka and Tampa Bay with Jim, her husband of 8 years and partner of 32 years. Two grown ‘kids’ and their spouses receive double doses of love and attention when she’s at home.
Don’t miss out on Doppler! Sign up for our free, twice-weekly newsletter here.
News Reporting
29.2 Fair dealing for the purpose of news reporting does not infringe copyright if the following are mentioned:
(a) the source; and
(b) if given in the source, the name of the
(i) author, in the case of a work,
(ii) performer, in the case of a performer’s performance,
(iii) maker, in the case of a sound recording, or
(iv) broadcaster, in the case of a communication signal.
Your use of the cartoon is illegal. Full stop. You haven’t even provided a link to the original work, simply a lousy screen shot. It doesn’t even fit in with your mandate: “Our mantra is local. ”
Just because others have stolen this work, it doesn’t mean it is right.
Effect of Fair Dealing on the Work
A dealing which competes with, or is a substitute for, that of the copied work is unlikely to be fair: “If the reproduced work is likely to compete with the market of the original work, this may suggest that the dealing is not fair.”[42]
Gee and that was the best part of the article !
As publisher, I chose to use the Adder cartoon, originally published by the Ottawa-based Hill Times. In using the already widely-circulating cartoon we gave credit to Michael de Adder and to the Hill Times.
It so bothers me that you do not have permission to use Michael de Adder’s cartoon, that I ordered one of his books to compensate him. This is wrong. It is immoral and illegal. It doesn’t make it right that Doppler’s photos have been stolen by other media, either.
Any head of gov’t or statesman would come out looking great when compared to that boor Trump. You sure laid it on thick in this one Dale.
Trudeau does like to call himself a feminist; however, he didn’t hesitate to throw two young female cabinet ministers (Monsef and Gould) under the bus on electoral reform. I think
men who are true feminists don’t feel the need to broadcast it.
I think our Mr. Trudeau had to go. Basically, Trump was elected by three states (MI, WI, Pennsylvania), and they are ones with close ties to Canadian business. They are integrated with widgets made on either side of the border, required for the whole item. He began with a simple goal, women’s issues, that wouldn’t offend Trump.
Women need more than this, though. They know what they need.
Arlene Dickinson @ArleneDickinson Feb 13 said, ” Sorry-We don’t need another expensive gov’t women’s entrepreneur biz initiative. We need equal pay. Equal rights. Venture Capital funding. Women on boards.”
Thank you, Dale, for a concise and fairly put round-up of this meeting. My personal advice to Mr. Trudeau (and yes, I do write him with unsolicited advice) was to take his boxing gloves as it was likely he would need them up against this schoolyard bully. But he didn’t. What he did take was a litany of diplomatic moves that allowed Mr. Trudeau to clearly shine on the world stage. He continues this morning on the European stage speaking intelligently and with strength about things that are important to his country, to all of us. Meanwhile, Trump and his band of miscreants set about dismantling the endangered species act: Thusly “”On Wednesday, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held hearings on legislation to “modernize” the Endangered Species Act, part of a push by Republicans to roll back environmental regulations and protections. The Republicans…argued that the 1973 law to keep animal species from extinction impedes oil drilling, mining, and farming, and infringes on the rights of states and private landowners.”
With Trump at the helm, we are all on the endangered species list.