Pierre W. Trudeau

Jean Lapierre was an interesting cog of Canadian Politics over the last 15 years. A Liberal defector, Lapierre was one of the original members of the Bloq Quebecois in the House of Commons (1990). He returned to politics to be a Paul Martin Cabinet Minister, and was an able Quebec General at a time when Quebec was openly hostile towards Liberals.

It came as no shock to anyone when he stepped down today. It comes as less of a shock that it is almost assured that he will be replaced by Justin Trudeau (L - My Father's Keeper).

I have been critical of Justin in the past because he is, to be blunt, brutally underqualified to do anything other than be Justin Trudeau. I first met Justin in 1995 and he was an affable guy who had a famous dad, and an interesting take on the world as a result of it.

My criticisms have been rooted in several things, but for the most part they emanate from a bitterness I have about how people ascend to "greatness." Congressman Gohper (R - Love Boat) is the most egregious example of a disturbing trend that a friend and I have seen (and will be writing on soon enough) in our politics about an elected aristocracy. A "step-up" the famous have over everyone else that the public tolerates for a myriad of reasons, including the public's own laziness. Minister Solberg was, after all, a weather man. If someone who is wrong 99% of the time can't be a Minister, I don't know who can.

But Justin is markedly different. He is being vaulted to the forefront because he is portrayed in the media as to good to be true(doh!). Cast as a saviour (or "the son of," if you will) not because of what he has done, but because of his dad. He is entirely a creation of the media, and the fools who blindly absorb the hype created by it to make you come back for more after the commercial break.

I am, however, willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, and judge him on his record and how he handles the actual limelight once he is acclaimed to the nomination. Like Al Gore, the dead Kennedy's, and even Paul Martin - maybe Justin will eclipse his father's greatness. Or, like the current President, he might tarnish the family legacy. I am willing to overlook how he gets to the top and judge him on his merits, knowing that if it doesn't work out, there is another.