# \[Canada\] Trudeau gets to work **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 5, 2015, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709 "2015-11-05T14:28:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/161 "2015-11-16T16:53:15Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > My problem with this guy is that instead of doing any of that, he chose to refuse to answer, to evade, to deny, and finally, to try to shift the blame back onto the people who are asking him to explain. IMO, anyone who thinks they can get away with that kind of nonsense is not the sharpest (you can fill in the rest for yourselves). If you want to really go on about a problem you have with a person - especially if you are going to up and say they’re stupid, which you’ve now basically done - that belongs in the Pit. Things can get heated in here but you’re well off the topic now. No warning issued yet. RickJay Moderator ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/162 "2015-11-16T18:23:44Z")
> [@bb49](#): > > Well I am more than a little concerned about his decision to appoint a “gender balanced” cabinet. What that tells me is that some of the cabinet ministers may very well not be the best person available. Its 2015. They’re all qualified. To me it proves more that lots of unqualified men were given jobs in the previous cabinet just because they were men ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/163 "2015-11-16T18:38:57Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Its 2015. They’re all qualified. To me it proves more that lots of unqualified men were given jobs in the previous cabinet just because they were men You’re a bit late. He ran away from the thread when asked to provide a specific example of how a particular woman was not qualified for a cabinet position, and to provide an alternative that Trudeau could have chosen who was more qualified. In other words, he was just blowing hot air. ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/164 "2015-11-16T21:43:36Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > \ > > That **Charlie Wayne** called him on it is a good thing, regardless of what he’s said in the past. You’re right. And I was, in any case, totally threadshitting for which I apologize. It’s nice to see a relatively sane discussion of politics. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/165 "2015-11-16T23:18:43Z")
> [@Emiliana](#): > > It’s nice to see a relatively sane discussion of politics. That Trudeau is an old white water rafting guide. So there! RAEG!!! ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/166 "2015-11-17T00:41:33Z")
The Liberals have [dropped the appeal](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/liberals-drop-controversial-supreme-court-of-canada-niqab-appeal/article27280846/) of the court case that found the face-covering ban for citizenship ceremony was not legal. This is good. The appeal was never going to succeed, and was simply another pile of tax dollars down the rat-hole of bad laws and decisions. > [@](#): > > Individuals are still required to bare their faces to an official for identification purposes before the ceremony. > [@](#): > > In September, the Federal Court of Appeal ruled against the Conservative government, rejecting the argument that requiring people to show their faces during the oath was consistent with Canadian values of equality and social cohesion. > [@](#): > > Wilson-Raybould also noted that there was nothing in the Citizenship Act that required people to show their faces. Instead, as the department had conceded under the previous government, the requirement was an unlegislated, yet mandatory, policy guideline. ---
**Author:** ![bb49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b38774/32.png) [@bb49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bb49)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/167 "2015-11-17T03:46:47Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Its 2015. They’re all qualified. To me it proves more that lots of unqualified men were given jobs in the previous cabinet just because they were men They are? How so? Trudeau stuck his neck out before the election and promised to do this, which puts him on the spot. He had no idea who would be elected. He makes these ill thought promises and then has too much ego to go back on his word. Along with ego goes stubbornness. And so what if a lot of unqualified men were given positions. Do two wrongs make it right. From your statement, you’re fine with that. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/168 "2015-11-17T16:53:11Z")
> [@bb49](#): > > They are? How so? Trudeau stuck his neck out before the election and promised to do this, which puts him on the spot. He had no idea who would be elected. He makes these ill thought promises and then has too much ego to go back on his word. Along with ego goes stubbornness. > > And so what if a lot of unqualified men were given positions. Do two wrongs make it right. From your statement, you’re fine with that. Please give three examples of women who were given cabinet posts who were unqualified. Show us how they were not qualified. Then give us three men from the Liberal backbench who would have been better qualified. Show us these qualifications. Until you can do this, you are simply bloviating out of your pie-hole. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/169 "2015-11-17T17:18:43Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Please give three examples of women who were given cabinet posts who were unqualified. Show us how they were not qualified. Short of the ludicrous, it is impossible to ascertain if anyone is qualified for a Cabinet post until they’ve held it for awhile. There is no job quite like it. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/170 "2015-11-17T17:45:33Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Short of the ludicrous, it is impossible to ascertain if anyone is qualified for a Cabinet post until they’ve held it for awhile. There is no job quite like it. Agreed. That is why is it so stupid to go on about how “unqualified” Trudeau’s picks for cabinet are. I think [this link](http://www.thebeaverton.com/national/item/2204-50-female-cabinet-appointments-lead-to-5000-increase-in-guys-who-suddenly-care-about-merit-in-cabinet) sums up the thinking of people who go on about this. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/171 "2015-11-19T00:29:20Z")
In Friday’s mandate letter to Minister of National Revenue Diane Lebouthillier, Trudeau instructed her to "modernize Canada’s archaic charity law and clarify rules around allowable “political activity.” This comes as a relief to environmental organizations, many of which where put on a special list for the Canada Revenue Agency to audit. It seems that Harper did not like the way these organizations were putting out information that was contrary to his goal of helping the oil industry get pipeline approval. So his buddy Joe Oliver decreed that environmental organizations were “radical groups” and should be audited. This is now in the past, thankfully, and we now have a federal government that will not go after charitable organizations because they don’t like what they say. Hopefully now they can focus on going after charitable organizations that spend tons of money on CEO salaries and perks, and precious little on “charity”. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/172 "2015-11-19T20:17:09Z")
Just a bit more feel-good type news … Trudeau and Obama have spoken or met several times but the Asia-Pacific summit was [their first formal meeting](http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-obama-apec-session-1.3325738). You can just tell from the body language and some of the comments that this is an amicable relationship of like-minded people. Not surprisingly, there was [no such relationship between Obama and Harper](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/obama-harper-dont-like-each-other-and-only-a-new-leader-can-thaw-relations/article21691812/) because of vast policy differences – they just plain didn’t like each other. Another thing that Obama and Trudeau have in common is that each is an _uncommon_ kind of politician and each became a sort of international rock star after their election – [Trudeau is going through that phase now](http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-apec-admirers-apechottie-shrieks-1.3325845). ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/173 "2015-11-19T21:13:48Z")
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. I was in the crowd when Trudeau walked about in a shopping mall parking lot in Oakville. The crowd had more women than men in it, and many of the women were screaming as if he were a rock-idol. Trudeaumania was a real thing. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/174 "2015-11-19T21:30:39Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > …Not surprisingly, there was [no such relationship between Obama and Harper](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/obama-harper-dont-like-each-other-and-only-a-new-leader-can-thaw-relations/article21691812/) because of vast policy differences – they just plain didn’t like each other… A prescient essay. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/175 "2015-11-19T21:40:06Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Just a bit more feel-good type news … > > Trudeau and Obama have spoken or met several times but the Asia-Pacific summit was [their first formal meeting](http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-obama-apec-session-1.3325738). You can just tell from the body language and some of the comments that this is an amicable relationship of like-minded people. Not surprisingly, there was [no such relationship between Obama and Harper](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/obama-harper-dont-like-each-other-and-only-a-new-leader-can-thaw-relations/article21691812/) because of vast policy differences – they just plain didn’t like each other. > > Another thing that Obama and Trudeau have in common is that each is an _uncommon_ kind of politician and each became a sort of international rock star after their election – [Trudeau is going through that phase now](http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-apec-admirers-apechottie-shrieks-1.3325845). The problem is whether Trudeau will get along with the _next_ US President. Way things are going, that may well be “President Trump”. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/176 "2015-11-19T22:18:06Z")
The government now as precisely 43 days to fulfill its promise to ring in 25,000 refugees of the Syrian civil war, a promise that is now obviously logistically unlikely in the extreme. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/177 "2015-11-19T22:37:46Z")
I fervently hope that the government recognizes that the Jan 1 commitment is logistically _ **impossible** _, and that the priority should be thorough vetting rather than reckless speed. And in the spirit in which I always forgive policy changes in light of new information, a potential change in the numbers would be acceptable as well. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/178 "2015-11-20T04:39:21Z")
I see nothing wrong with greater numbers but admitting the election promise to get 25000 by Jan 1 was silly grandstanding, which I hope most smart people knew it was all along. Canada could use more people, many more, but we don’t have transporter technology just yet. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/179 "2015-11-20T07:41:52Z")
An interesting take on Justin Trudeau’s plan to make marijuana legal: > **[Is Trudeau’s pot plan constitutional? - Policy Options](https://policyoptions.irpp.org/2015/11/trudeau-pot-constitution/)** > > Parliament has the power to legalize marijuana and fulfill Trudeau's pot plan, but the provinces could bogart its regulation. Looks like the federal government will have to deal with the provinces on this one, and it may not be easy. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709/180 "2015-11-20T17:02:04Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Looks like the federal government will have to deal with the provinces on this one, and it may not be easy. Well that’s not surprising at all though. I think everyone assumed that it would be similar to alcohol, regulated by the provinces once it was made legal. Has any provincial government made noises about fighting legalization? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-trudeau-gets-to-work/736709.md?page=10)