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Telegraph
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Justin Trudeau can't run away from embarrassing himself
Justin Trudeau isn't the prime minister of Canada anymore. He's not a Liberal MP. He stayed out of the fray during last month's federal election. He's been under the radar for months, and is reportedly renting a home in Ottawa. Other than a brief excursion to a Canadian tyre store, which led him to take a predictable selfie, he's largely disappeared from public life. Everything came to a crashing halt this week. Trudeau proved once again that he can't run away from embarrassing himself. Literally, in fact. Trudeau was one of three former prime ministers who attended King Charles III's throne speech to open the new session of parliament. He chatted a fair bit with Stephen Harper. He sat within proximity of Kim Campbell. He brought his mother, Margaret, to hear the speech – which was a nice touch. The TV cameras then panned down to his shoes, only to discover he was wearing trainers. You read this correctly. Trudeau's footwear was a pair of green Adidas sneakers. In the Senate of Canada. To hear a speech by King Charles to open a parliamentary session in the country Trudeau led for almost a decade. Some people may not perceive this to be a big deal. To those individuals, I pose one simple question: 'Was anyone else in attendance doing this?' The answer is a resounding 'no,' and it shouldn't be difficult to figure out why. This isn't the first time that Trudeau has embarrassed himself in this respect, either. Three older instances of Trudeau wearing blackface received domestic and international scorn and derision – and deservedly so. His obsession with colourful socks wasn't unique among world leaders, but he kept doing it inappropriately in the House of Commons and elsewhere. Trudeau and his family also wore traditional outfits to India during a February 2018 trip. They were torn apart by the media. 'He wore an elaborate and heavily worked sherwani, more in tune with what a bridegroom would a Bollywood film,' the BBC's Ayeshea Perera amusingly wrote. The Canadian publication Maclean's called him 'The Mr. Dressup prime minister,' using the moniker of the late children's entertainer, Ernie Coombs, who wore various costumes plucked from his tickle trunk. Maclean's also included photos of Trudeau in other ridiculous costumes. This ranged from a Superman outfit worn inside the House of Commons on Hallowe'en to another inappropriate traditional outfit worn during the Chinese New Year. With respect to King Charles's speech, why would Trudeau do something so disrespectful during this important moment in Canadian history? Was it yet another desperate plea for media attention? Was he trolling his haters, as the kids might say? While there were probably elements of this in his thinking, the answer is quite simple: Trudeau doesn't give a tinker's dam about tradition and decorum in politics. He may be a former head of government, but his attitude and outlook on life often resemble the lowest common denominator. And that's why most Canadians are glad he's gone.
Globe and Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
King Charles delivers soaring poetry and gristly prose in Throne Speech to giddy Senate
Before we get to the main attraction, it must be said that the long wait on the Senate floor before King Charles arrived to deliver the Throne Speech on Tuesday offered unparalleled political people-watching. Guests began arriving two hours in advance, mingling freely until the command to 'Order!' brought everyone to their seats and pin-drop silence. On one side of the Red Chamber, the front row was reserved for former prime ministers and spouses; Kim Campbell shared a bench with Stephen Harper, Justin Trudeau, Margaret Trudeau and Mila Mulroney. Directly in front of them, in the centre of the room, sat the justices of the Supreme Court. And on the other side, facing PM Row, was the governors-general bench, where Adrienne Clarkson, John Ralston Saul, Michaëlle Jean, David and Sharon Johnston and Diana Fowler LeBlanc, widow of Roméo LeBlanc, were seated. Provincial premiers, senators and all manner of bold-faced political figures filled the rest of the room, a live-action Canadian nerd version of Where's Waldo? Just in case anyone might have forgotten to pay attention to Mr. Trudeau, he helped them out by wearing a pair of orange and green retro Adidas running shoes with his blue suit. A few of the British reporters in the gallery were puzzled and mildly offended by this, wondering if there was some tradition they'd missed that explained it. No, Commonwealth friends, this is just that guy's deal. There were multiple points in the morning when the Senate was called to order for some bit of ceremony, and then there would be another break in the solemnity. Like a classroom with a substitute teacher who's in over their head, conversation would kick in at a low hum and then reach a roar as everyone left their seats again. Mr. Harper and Mr. Trudeau, seated side by side, talked up a storm for long periods of time, so if you are a skilled lip-reader, boy, do we have a gig for you. A steady parade of politicians and officials lined up to take photos in front of the two ornate thrones where the King and Queen Camilla would sit. It's validating in a very basic human way to realize that the people in charge are giddy tourists, too. Once the royal couple entered, in a procession along with Prime Minister Mark Carney and various dignitaries, the whole room changed, the amorphous buzz of excitement narrowing into a collective beam of attention fixated on them. 'This is my 20th visit to Canada, spread over the course of more than half a century, and my first as sovereign,' the King said. 'As I've said before, every time I come to Canada, a little more of Canada seeps into my bloodstream, and from there straight to my heart.' At this, an audible, visible ripple of something warm and eager – approval, elation, gratitude? – rolled across the crowd. When you've spent months listening to a mad king say he wants to take over your country or at least destroy it, it's heartening to hear a decent king say something different. 'I've always had the greatest admiration for Canada's unique identity,' Charles went on, 'which is recognized across the world for bravery and sacrifice in defence of national values, and for the diversity and kindness of Canadians.' Coyne: This was the moment Charles became King of Canada, and Canada his kingdom At first, he spoke very clearly in the first person, recalling 'my dear late mother' opening Parliament in 1957, when the Second World War was still a fresh memory. His remarks about Canadian sacrifice in combat, a confident, independent country rooted in admirable values, and the importance of such a nation in a world that is once again changing profoundly landed with gilded heft given the sense that they were his own thoughts. But the nature of a Throne Speech is that the government is putting words in the Crown's mouth. At some imperceptible point on Tuesday, the King switched from reflections in his own voice to reading the text of a speech that is very much a political document. There's the old idea that you campaign in poetry and govern in prose. But then there's what that mix means when your head of state comes to town to read your parliamentary mission statement. You get the soaring, high-minded meditations on what your nation is and could be, read by a figure of deep history and dignity in a plummy voice instantly recognizable to most of the world. But you also get the most gristly, crass, domestic partisan bean-counting delivered by that very same man. King Charles delivers Throne Speech asserting Canada's sovereignty, pledging major transformation in economy And so you had the King describing how Canada 'has dramatically changed, repatriating its Constitution, achieving full independence and witnessing immense growth,' as well as touting plans for 'cutting municipal development charges in half for all multiunit housing.' Then he talked about Juno Beach, Vimy Ridge and the Somme, recalling that 'at those places and many others forever etched into our memories, Canadians fought and died alongside our closest allies.' He also explained how the government is 'reducing middle-class taxes and saving two-income families up to $840 a year.' The effect was a bit like hiring a great Shakespearean actor to order for you at the drive-through: impressive and unforgettable, certainly, but also a tad unseemly and perhaps beneath the dignity of the person you've engaged for the occasion? But those awkward moments of grinding up political bone and sinew disappeared quickly enough beneath the glowing declarations of Canadian purpose, ambition and identity – especially vivid given that the sad, angry ochre man is still lumbering about. Then, near the very end of the speech, Charles switched back to the first person in both language and reflection. In Photos: Looking back at King Charles's royal visits to Canada He reminded the senators and MPs that when his mother opened the Canadian Parliament almost 70 years earlier, she told them that 'no nation could live unto itself' at that moment in the world's history. 'It is a source of great pride that in the following decades, Canada has continued to set an example to the world in her conduct and values as a force for good,' the King said. And then, with his final line, Charles earned his second audible murmur of appreciation from the Red Chamber, the collective emotional bookend to his opener about Canada living more in his bloodstream and heart with each visit he's made to our shores. 'As the anthem reminds us,' the King of Canada said for the whole world to hear, 'the true north is indeed strong and free.'
CBC
6 days ago
- General
- CBC
Former prime minister Jean Chrétien recovering after stent insertion
Social Sharing Jean Chrétien missed King Charles delivering the speech from the throne Tuesday morning because he is recovering after having a heart stent inserted, according to a spokesman for the former prime minister. The spokesman said the 91-year-old — normally a gregarious presence at events like this — is expected to recover. "Mr. Chrétien is recovering well and is expected to return home very soon to pursue his normal activities," Bruce Hartley told CBC News. The statement said Chrétien wasn't feeling well earlier this week so he went to the hospital for tests and had a stent inserted Tuesday. Former prime ministers Justin Trudeau, Stephen Harper and Kim Campbell sat together in the Senate to take in the historic moment alongside Mila Mulroney, widow to former prime minister Brian Mulroney, and Margaret Trudeau, ex-wife of Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Earlier this month, Chrétien attended the swearing-in ceremony for Prime Minister Mark Carney's new cabinet. He also spoke at length during the March Liberal leadership convention.
CBC
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Harper and Trudeau share laughs, and other lighter throne speech moments
Social Sharing If you tuned in for the time between King Charles and Queen Camilla's arrival at the Senate and the moment the King actually began the speech from the throne, you probably noticed a lot of things happened. Some of them were a little unceremonious for such pomp and circumstance that the second day of the royal visit held. Former prime minister Kim Campbell, who was there, may have put it best. "What was interesting was the interesting combination of informality and formality," she told CBC News. In case you missed them — or if you want to know a little more about what unfolded in the Senate chamber before the speech — here are the moments that caught our attention. Who's-who of Canadian politics The event was a rare gathering of some of the most important figures in Canadian politics. Former prime ministers or their widows were in attendance, including Mila Mulroney and Margaret Trudeau, as well as former governors general. There were also a few notable absences, such as former prime minister Jean Chrétien, as well as former governor general Julie Payette, who resigned in 2021 following a report holding her responsible for a toxic work environment. In Chrétien's case, the nonagenarian underwent surgery and is expected to be discharged from the hospital Wednesday. Former political rivals laugh together We saw two former rivals set aside their differences and sit beside each other: Justin Trudeau and his predecessor Stephen Harper. The former prime ministers were each in power for roughly a decade and have been regarded as representing polar opposites of the political spectrum. And yet today they were seen in a friendly conversation, exchanging jokes and laughs. To be a fly on that wall. The other former prime minister present was Campbell, the only woman in Canada to have held the role. "It was a madhouse! They were all running around talking to each other. We're a law-abiding but unruly group of people," Campbell said. At one point, former governor general Michaëlle Jean could be seen leading Charles by the hand across the Senate floor to introduce him to Assembly of First Nations Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak. "There was a kind of deeper sense of delight in the connectedness of people being there and the historic importance of the occasion," Campbell said. Other dignitaries included Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Natan Obed, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, former governor general Adrienne Clarkson and Chris Phillips, former defenceman for the Ottawa Senators. Much ado about a shoe On social media, a fashion moment took the cake and polarized people at their keyboards. Justin Trudeau's footwear was unorthodox for such a formal (and, well, royal) setting that included people wearing elaborate robes, hats and in the case of Usher Greg Peters — a fancy black rod. Trudeau chose a pair of suede green-and-orange Adidas Gazelle sneakers. Wearing kicks to the third-ever occasion of the monarch reading the speech from the throne prompted a lot of online side-eye, but in a way symbolized the informality at a time of formality that Campbell described. 2 kisses — because it's French! Speaking of Trudeaus and informality: While there may have been some light pushing and shoving to get a chance to shake hands with the King and Queen, most did just that — shake hands with the royals. But Margaret Trudeau, who's known for her own quirky moments in the otherwise conventional landscape of Canadian politics, gave the King two kisses, one on each cheek. It was a warm embrace from a former prime minister's wife and the mother of another — who would have met the King when he was young and still the Prince of Wales. And it was also perhaps a nod to Quebec, where the two-kiss greeting is the norm, as well as a bit of a distaste for the monarchy (which Margaret Trudeau probably does not share). Charles and Queen Camilla appeared to revel in all of it. The King is known for enjoying meeting people and asking questions with what some say seems to be genuine curiosity. Another exchange stood out, between Charles and current Prime Minister Mark Carney that lasted several minutes. While the two had had an official private audience together the day before, Carney stepped over to the King as he sat in the throne, waiting for things to proceed. The two spoke at length and have a bit of shared history. Carney is the former governor of the Bank of England and in a famous public appearance during his mandate, held a news conference reassuring the British population as markets tanked following Brexit. Another connection: Carney's brother Sean is the chief operating officer at Kensington Palace. Though the King and Queen's visit was brief, at barely 24 hours in the capital, shaking hands and meeting people is what they spent most of their time doing — from Lansdowne Park to the Rideau Hall lawn and the Ottawa airport tarmac, where their departure was slightly delayed by Charles speaking with several guards, ministers and others gathered to send the royals off. They left space, it seems, for some humanity amid the formality. And now, a new government gets to work.
CBC
6 days ago
- General
- CBC
Former prime minister Jean Chrétien recovering after stent insertion: source
Social Sharing Jean Chrétien missed King Charles delivering the speech from the throne Tuesday morning because he is recovering after having a heart stent inserted, according to a source close to the former prime minister. The source said the 91-year-old — normally a gregarious presence at events like this — is expected to recover. "Mr. Chrétien is recovering well and is expected to return home very soon to pursue his normal activities," they told CBC News. The source said Chrétien wasn't feeling well earlier this week so he went to the hospital for tests and had a stent inserted Tuesday. Former prime ministers Justin Trudeau, Stephen Harper and Kim Campbell sat together in the Senate to take in the historic moment alongside Mila Mulroney, widow to former prime minister Brian Mulroney, and Margaret Trudeau, ex-wife of Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Earlier this month, Chrétien attended the swearing-in ceremony for Prime Minister Mark Carney's new cabinet. He also spoke at length during the March Liberal leadership convention.
