Pierre Trudeau: Father of Modern Canada?

[imokay]

Originally Posted by Stubblejumper

You seem to be claiming that a leader only puts forth a Canadian Identity when it's one you agree with.

Not to turn this into an argument in regards to the Conservative party, but they have taken meaningful stands on the international stage - particularly in regards to the Kyoto Accord, the UN small arms treaty etc. While I'm not taking a position on those actions, they can't really be considered anything but "standing up for Canada".

I would consider withdrawing from the Kyoto protocol standing up for corporations, not Canada, but anyway,

First of all, Harper won a "majority" with 24% of the vote (40% of the vote with a 60% voter turnout, a minority either way).
Second, most of his positions are clearly out of tune with the majority of Canadians'. A few examples:

-F-35 purchase (80% against)
-Drug policy (66% want legalization)
-Stance on prostitution (65% want legalization of brothels)
-Corporate tax cuts (59% want higher corporate taxes)
-Raising retirement age (57% against)
-Ignoring income inequality (64% willing to pay more in taxes, 83% want higher taxes on the rich)
-Restricting scientists' freedom of speech
-General anti-environmentalism
-The federal government will stop verifying nutrition claims on food labels.

Canadians were also very divided on the gun registry issue; there was no solid majority on either side.

Approval rating of each leader
Stephen Harper 34%
Thomas Mulcair 32%
Bob Rae 32%

Disapproval rating of each leader:
Thomas Mulcair: 22%
Bob Rae: 41%
Stephen Harper: 58%

Forum poll from March 26-27, 2012

[Stubblejumper]

Originally Posted by imokay

First of all, Harper won a "majority" with 24% of the vote (40% of the vote with a 60% voter turnout, a minority either way).
Second, most of his positions are clearly out of tune with the majority of Canadians'. A few examples:

And Trudeau won a "majority" with 34% of the vote in 1968 and 30% in 1980.

Your second argument doesn't address my point at all. Trudeau was wildly out of step with much of Canada - he's not so different from Stephen Harper that way. He's absolutely vilified by some segments of the country and adored by others.

You're still assuming that popularity somehow equals vision. It doesn't. It may well be that Harper's vision of Canada isn't in step with most of the country, but in regards to the post you were responding to, it doesn't matter. I think you've made it clear that the Harper does indeed have a vision of Canadian Identity. Whether or not you or I agree with it is irrelevant to this discussion.

[Chris Balducci]

I think Trudeau saw in Castro a kindred spirit - both viewed themselves as freedom fighters.

[Chris Balducci]

I think a lot of Canadians wanted some sort of radical change in the late 1960s and Trudeau gave it to them. Perhaps he was a combination of Franklin Roosevelt and John Kennedy.

[travis3000]

Trudeau has always been a love hate Prime Minster. I personally thought he did a great job and agreed with many of views, especially socially.

[Annuvin]

Originally Posted by Stubblejumper

His attempts to wrest control of natural resource revenue from the provinces will forever tar him in the West, and is something I don't think his reputation will ever recover from. Nor, I think, will it recover from his implementation of the war measures act in Quebec.

Actually, his handling of the FLQ Crisis is the only thing I will ever give Trudeau credit for.