There are at least four completely different questions at play here: Is there enough evidence against Trudeau stemming from his time at WPGA -
(1) to take to trial on a criminal charge of corrupting a minor? Obviously, no.
(2) to take to a professional disciplinary hearing for teachers? Obviously, yes; though whether you would get a "conviction" and if so what the penalty might be is anyone's guess.
(3) to trust your daughter with Trudeau in a private setting (when he was single, in his 20s, and not under the gaze of politics)? That, I suppose, is for every parent to judge. I wouldn't.
(4) to "disqualify" him as a candidate for political office? By Trudeau's own standards, obviously yes. He has disqualified candidates for far less than being excessively handsy with minors. This guy's character, as revealed by nearly everything he does, is so repulsive I have a hard time understanding why anyone votes for him still.
Wondering, is it wrong for me to enjoy Poilievre's jabs at this PM? I also quite enjoyed his answer to the questions, for it is "just a fact". And facts seem to matter little anymore in this political climate.
It's not true that the salacious conjecture is *entirely* without foundation. It arises from the yearbook photos showing an extremely handsy Trudeau groping some very young girls. In one, his blackened pinky slips down to the girl's cleavage; in another, each hand is clasped tightly around a different girl's waist, practically cupping a boob. There isn't a single other (male) teacher in Canada who could pose for pictures like this for a yearbook and not get disciplined immediately. It is entirely inappropriate, unprofessional, and creepy - whether the girls or their parents object to it or not.
The question obviously does arise: If THESE are the liberties Trudeau takes when the yearbook cameras are rolling, what would he do in a more private setting? It calls to mind the entirely well-founded allegations of Trudeau groping a young reporter in B.C. around the same time. As Trump said, celebrities are allowed to take liberties, and Trudeau was a minor celebrity in Canada even back then. Add Trudeau's outsized narcissism to his minor celebrity status, and Fanny's your Aunt.
So I reject utterly the notion that Trudeau has nothing to answer for.
Oh, but he has answered: he wanted to go back to university. It doesn't wash. There was no need to quit mid-semester to attend university in September. And his desire to return to university was pretty flakey, because he withdrew as quickly as he enrolled. No responsible, much-loved teacher would abandon his charges in the middle of a semester for such a flight of fancy.
Nor is the school's Principal's denial probative. The Principal is approximately as conflicted in this scenario as David Johnston on the China file. Nobody wants to be in charge when a scandal erupts. Of course he is going to deny that his school was a haven for child molesters!
There IS something suspicious about Trudeau's sudden departure. There is insufficient evidence for any particular conjecture to be acted upon, but in the absence of a credible account, voters are entitled to draw their own conclusions.
You’re correct that politics is worst than it’s even been. Trudeau is a big driver of that. Watching him this morning on one of his paid networks (sidebar - we have to get back to a subscription revenue model for journalism like when news papers made their living by people throwing in 25 cents before advertisers squeezed them out and owners with other interest took over) lecture about immature people more interested in playing politics rather than getting down to the serious business of running the country was a bit much. Who does he thinks still believes anything he says?
He obviously had aspirations of being an actor, too bad he wasn’t good enough to have made it and we all could have been spared his bs.
West Point Grey Academy headmaster Clive Austin “attested to complete certainty that there was absolutely nothing to the story, or conspiracy theory, or rumour, or speculation.”
Most if not all C-level executives that leave suddenly do so “to spend more time with the family”, “pursue other interests” or “for health reasons”. Rarely is the real cause disclosed.
Austin may have “attested” but that is not the same as “testified under oath”.
I see I stand alone thinking Trudeau’s “ jab” was a low snotty reference to Poilievre’s humble beginnings. “You came from a little house in Calgary and like a newspaper delivery boy saved your Pennie’s went to University and wormed your way here today as leader.” “ I on the other hand had a Corvette, smoked weed, lived in expensive digs, and Dads last name got me the gig..” If I were Poilievre I would “ eat the maggot “ too. Ok ok re reading this I see I’m too sensitive. Carry on.
Whether or not Pierre Poilievre was “acting the maggot”, which is not admitted but which I choose to specifically deny, I contend that Justin Trudeau IS the maggot.
Given Trudeau's history of deflections, prevarications, and outright lies, and of influential people covering for him, there are many reasons to suspect that he left West Point Grey under a cloud.
Recent examples - Trudeau saying that he never disparaged the unvaccinated or the convoy protestors during the EA inquiry. Also, saying that people "experience things differently" when deflecting about the case of him making unwanted sexual overtures to a journalist before he was PM.
"They lie to us, we know they're lying, they know we know they're lying, but they keep lying to us, and we keep pretending to believe them." Alexandr Solzhenitsyn.
There are at least four completely different questions at play here: Is there enough evidence against Trudeau stemming from his time at WPGA -
(1) to take to trial on a criminal charge of corrupting a minor? Obviously, no.
(2) to take to a professional disciplinary hearing for teachers? Obviously, yes; though whether you would get a "conviction" and if so what the penalty might be is anyone's guess.
(3) to trust your daughter with Trudeau in a private setting (when he was single, in his 20s, and not under the gaze of politics)? That, I suppose, is for every parent to judge. I wouldn't.
(4) to "disqualify" him as a candidate for political office? By Trudeau's own standards, obviously yes. He has disqualified candidates for far less than being excessively handsy with minors. This guy's character, as revealed by nearly everything he does, is so repulsive I have a hard time understanding why anyone votes for him still.
Wondering, is it wrong for me to enjoy Poilievre's jabs at this PM? I also quite enjoyed his answer to the questions, for it is "just a fact". And facts seem to matter little anymore in this political climate.
It's not true that the salacious conjecture is *entirely* without foundation. It arises from the yearbook photos showing an extremely handsy Trudeau groping some very young girls. In one, his blackened pinky slips down to the girl's cleavage; in another, each hand is clasped tightly around a different girl's waist, practically cupping a boob. There isn't a single other (male) teacher in Canada who could pose for pictures like this for a yearbook and not get disciplined immediately. It is entirely inappropriate, unprofessional, and creepy - whether the girls or their parents object to it or not.
The question obviously does arise: If THESE are the liberties Trudeau takes when the yearbook cameras are rolling, what would he do in a more private setting? It calls to mind the entirely well-founded allegations of Trudeau groping a young reporter in B.C. around the same time. As Trump said, celebrities are allowed to take liberties, and Trudeau was a minor celebrity in Canada even back then. Add Trudeau's outsized narcissism to his minor celebrity status, and Fanny's your Aunt.
So I reject utterly the notion that Trudeau has nothing to answer for.
Oh, but he has answered: he wanted to go back to university. It doesn't wash. There was no need to quit mid-semester to attend university in September. And his desire to return to university was pretty flakey, because he withdrew as quickly as he enrolled. No responsible, much-loved teacher would abandon his charges in the middle of a semester for such a flight of fancy.
Nor is the school's Principal's denial probative. The Principal is approximately as conflicted in this scenario as David Johnston on the China file. Nobody wants to be in charge when a scandal erupts. Of course he is going to deny that his school was a haven for child molesters!
There IS something suspicious about Trudeau's sudden departure. There is insufficient evidence for any particular conjecture to be acted upon, but in the absence of a credible account, voters are entitled to draw their own conclusions.
You’re correct that politics is worst than it’s even been. Trudeau is a big driver of that. Watching him this morning on one of his paid networks (sidebar - we have to get back to a subscription revenue model for journalism like when news papers made their living by people throwing in 25 cents before advertisers squeezed them out and owners with other interest took over) lecture about immature people more interested in playing politics rather than getting down to the serious business of running the country was a bit much. Who does he thinks still believes anything he says?
He obviously had aspirations of being an actor, too bad he wasn’t good enough to have made it and we all could have been spared his bs.
Thanks Terry. Needed this laugh (and new addition to my vocabulary!) 😆🍀
Just the right thing: a palate cleanser. It would be a shame to see Canada’s politics become as polarized as in the US. Thanks.
I like the phrase "acting the maggot"! I may use it in the near future.
West Point Grey Academy headmaster Clive Austin “attested to complete certainty that there was absolutely nothing to the story, or conspiracy theory, or rumour, or speculation.”
Most if not all C-level executives that leave suddenly do so “to spend more time with the family”, “pursue other interests” or “for health reasons”. Rarely is the real cause disclosed.
Austin may have “attested” but that is not the same as “testified under oath”.
Teachers who start a semester should finish it.
Love these examples of language which is so accurate and, indeed, should be added to our lexicon.
I see I stand alone thinking Trudeau’s “ jab” was a low snotty reference to Poilievre’s humble beginnings. “You came from a little house in Calgary and like a newspaper delivery boy saved your Pennie’s went to University and wormed your way here today as leader.” “ I on the other hand had a Corvette, smoked weed, lived in expensive digs, and Dads last name got me the gig..” If I were Poilievre I would “ eat the maggot “ too. Ok ok re reading this I see I’m too sensitive. Carry on.
Whether or not Pierre Poilievre was “acting the maggot”, which is not admitted but which I choose to specifically deny, I contend that Justin Trudeau IS the maggot.
Thanks for “Acting the Maggot”, a new term to add to my lexicon. I have always been partial to
“A Shower of Bastards”, when referring to the Trudeau Liberals. An example from Father Ted.
Dougal: "Why is Jack so scared of doctors?"
Ted: "I think they just remind him of illness, he doesn't like to think of his own mortality, that's why he always hated visiting the sick"
Dougal: "Oh yeah he hates the sick, and the poor"
Ted: "Oh the poor really got on his nerves"
Dougal: "And the needy"
Ted: "Them too, what was he used to say about the needy, he had a term for them"
Dougal: "A shower of bastards!" Ted: "That was it!"
Given Trudeau's history of deflections, prevarications, and outright lies, and of influential people covering for him, there are many reasons to suspect that he left West Point Grey under a cloud.
Recent examples - Trudeau saying that he never disparaged the unvaccinated or the convoy protestors during the EA inquiry. Also, saying that people "experience things differently" when deflecting about the case of him making unwanted sexual overtures to a journalist before he was PM.
"They lie to us, we know they're lying, they know we know they're lying, but they keep lying to us, and we keep pretending to believe them." Alexandr Solzhenitsyn.
I think the only maggot in this equation is the PM.
Sorry Terry. This column is way below your usual high-quality standard.