On Thanksgiving weekend, we were treated to a Globe and Mail story on the virtues of Chrystia Freeland.
It was interesting timing come as it did as the Prime Minister prepares for a cabinet shuffle amid reports of some Liberals mulling over the idea that perhaps it is time for Trudeau to take a walk on the sand.
It could be just a coincidence that this story appeared when it did, but it offers a nice contrast between her and our frat boy Prime Minister.
The Russian KGB built a file on her anti-communist activities. Did Trudeau when of university age do anything important?
While at university, Freeland was speaking at anticommunist rallies. Trudeau wasn’t doing anything important or memorable, unless being a short-term drama teacher counts?
Freeland was tough on Communism years ago. Trudeau admires the Chinese government and appears weak when dealing with them.
Our allies can takeaway that this is a person they can trust, as opposed to Trudeau who has watched key allies form new defensive military pacts without even letting the PM know that such discussions were being conducted.
In many ways it was an excellent compare and contrast piece between the current Liberal leader and someone that is seen by many Liberals as the heir apparent. Certainly, this article gives Trudeau and his PMO staff something to mull over while he goes about picking his cabinet.
Does he keep her at Finance? Some PMs put potential challengers there. Many finance ministers become very unpopular, especially those who must cancel programs or raise taxes to pay for them and any other future goodies the Liberals produce. If the Liberal’s daycare program doesn’t work out as expected, who gets the blame? It won’t be Trudeau.
Foreign Affairs is also another spot to put a potential challenger. As PM, he can keep her travelling all over the world seriously limiting her ability to organize for a run at him.
Another spot is Public Works. Pretty much the dullest cabinet job out there with the added bonus that there is always another scandal around a contract just waiting to come out.
Liberals tell me that it wasn’t an important article, and the timing is pure coincidence. Really? I go back to the Diefenbaker days and Dalton Camp and in one way or another I have been involved in something like 10 leadership races in my own party and tracked innumerable ones in other parties.
Coincidence? I think not.
