Couldn't read it unless I turned off ad blocker ... or subswcribed to Washington post - a month for a buck.

Heck, it'd cost them more than a buck to send a single copy across the border, I figure!

ole joyful

I am sorry to admit that he is Canadian, He makes a fool of himself wherever he goes.

Oh Sharonann, I'm SO glad you said that!!! He's a true embarrassment. People and the media seldom say "President" Trump, just Trump. I never ever refer to Trudeau as the PM. He's Junior. He's born into wealth with a silver spoon.

When he gave a speech to a bunch of university students, and proudly proclaimed that 'even a drama teacher, bouncer, and snow-boarder can become Prime Minister', which he's been all of, that shows his maturity.

Not to mention all of the gaudy things he's done for the media.

I'm hoping the world sees him for what he is, and really listens to what he's saying. He's an imbecile.

I'm glad you agree with me.

And Sophie

Gosh yes!!!! She's awful! Does it make your skin crawl too, as it does mine when the media refers to her as Canada's First Lady??? That's so untrue and biased. We don't have 'First Ladies', not to mention every other Prime Minister was married, and their wives weren't referred to as such.

She makes my skin crawl! She apparently had to have 2 nannies to care for her children last year. They have no friggin idea what the normal Canadian family does.

He’s a hell of a lot better than Harper! His speech was important. People are so divided along conservative/liberal or republican/Democrat lines they don’t even know how to think for themselves anymore. And I for one agree we should not be giving any govt. money or incentives to pro- lifers. This is a dead political issue in Canada. The majority of Canadians do not want to restrict access to abortion. JJ McCullough is an attention seeker not a big thinker.

Better than Harper? Ha. The drama teacher has a ways to go before the rest of Canada takes Mr Dress-up seriously. Plenty of Canadians are both pro-life and pro-choice and funding for each is important.

Do you find some shame in him having been a teacher? I don’t. It’s a break from all the damn lawyers. Calling him goofy names instead of focusing on the issues is exactly the kind of stuff his speech was about. Lol. What do you object to other than the fact he was a teacher, is young, and had a famous father? How about focusing on something of substance.

What issues do you want him to focus on that he’s not? I’m more concerned about his performance than his age, his looks, or his parentage. Some people hate him just because of his background. But there are few national politicians without his privileged background in any parties.

Between Andrew Scheer and Trudeau, I will never vote for Andrew Scheer. I also wonder if we're just getting fed-up with world leaders and the players that it appears they all are. Trudeau is a light-weight but at least he's a pleasant and polite light-weight.

I don't hate him because of his background. I just do not agree with many of his policies, he is too focused on fluff issues rather than issues that Canadians face on a daily basis. He's just out of touch with reality.

The funding they mentioned in the article is a good example as to one of the many reasons I do not agree with him. Forcing organizations to AGREE that abortion should be accessible/safe/legal, yes I personally agree that abortions should be accessible, legal and safe, but forcing organizations who may not agree with that ideology to agree with it for the sake of funding, is not right. There are plenty of faith based organizations that don't agree with that, does that mean they should be cut off from funding? Absolutely not. While I may not support their view, I respect that they exist and cater to a portion of the public, they are allowed to have their own opinions just like you and I.

There is a place for all of us 'people-kind' here in Canada, this is not a one-sided conversation, nor should we be using legislation to silence those who may not share our personal beliefs.

I agree. At least he is focusing on progress and the future, and has an inclusive agenda, instead of trying to drag us back into the past like most Conservatives.

Well I don’t believe pro life activism should be considered for youth job funding. The abortion issue has been decided in Canada so I don’t think tax dollars should go to funding people’s personal agendas. People can do activism on their own time and dime.

ETA. I’m not really in support of funding any faith-based organizations. We are a secular society. I believe very strongly in separation of church and state.

Well lucky for us you aren't in charge then. I don't think my tax dollars should fund a lot of things I personally don't believe in, but here we are.

Anyway, as lovely as this chat is, I still don't like our current PM and there's not much anyone can say to sway me. Unless of course Junior cuts my taxes back to Harper era taxes, cuts my small business tax to Harper era taxes, reduces my hydro bills to something reasonable (lucky i can afford it, many Canadians cant), stops trying to infringe on my rights to freedom of speech, stops trying to silence opposing views to his sunny ways, eliminates the useless carbon tax, stops trying to make me feel disadvantaged for being a woman and grateful to him for gender balancing everything (it's who's right for the job not whats between their legs). Then MAYBE just maybe I too will be happy with the PM.

I am glad you are happy with the current representation, I for one cannot WAIT until he is out of office and stops making what I perceive to be a mockery out of our great country

I personally don't want my tax dollars to pay for someone's sex change, but they are.

I also didn't like my tax dollars towards the $40M payout to Omar Khadir and the 3 others, yet he completely ignores the veterans. "There is no money for them".

I don't like him giving money willy-nilly and lots of it to other countries yet not enough for Canadians.

I don't like him giving money to successful, profitable Corporations like Toyota.

I don't like him apologizing for every thing that has happened and crying, even before Canada was a country. After a while, hearing so many endless apologies, they mean nothing and are superfluous.

I don't like the fact that while he's not living at 24 Sussex Drive but at the cottage, 24 Sussex was billed more than $101,000 for hydro and gas during the 2016/2017 fiscal year — despite the fact that no one was living in it at the time.

Jasdip, let's not forget the trip to aga khan's private island which breached the conflict of interest act

but who cares, he has great hair

;-)

Jasdip, it makes me so sad-mad that I have to agree with you on all your points, some of which I had forgotten. And there’s so much more. Opening our doors to all the refugees, giving free health care and housing when we have so many needy right here that don’t get the same benefits. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against immigration, but I remember a few years ago when a friend who was an engineer tried to get his brother here to live. He was a physician who lived in England and was denied. This was northern BC where there is a huge need for doctors. He didn’t have a criminal record or anything, married with children and would have been a valuable asset to any community. I just don’t get it. It’s not right, but I think Justin is just like Margaret, the hippy.

The speech reads more like a high school graduation pep talk but there was nothing that I disagreed with.

Jasdip, I haven't clicked on the link, but as far as what one might use talking about a president: "Oh Sharonann, I'm SO glad you said that!!! He's a true embarrassment. People and the media seldom say "President" Trump, just Trump".

I just say Trump. I also just said Obama, Bush (maybe W to distinguish him from his father), Clinton, Bush (or Bush Senior). People know whom you are referring to, especially if that particular person is currently the president. (Hey, even before I had a computer, I referred to Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, without necessarily having to say "President Such and such).

And if I'm typing on my phone or Kindle, I HATE typing on those devices. (Right now I'm on my real computer.) So, deal with shortcuts. I don't name any of the above with nasty labels, even if and when I may disagree with policies.

Most of thread sounds like right wingers complaining about Obama down here.

But that's ok, right Embothrium? Because like you everyone is entitled to their opinion, and we all hope others won't label us as idiots or put us in a stereotypical box (aka "right wingers") for voicing them.

I think JT is a complete embarrassment. Lots of Canadians here and they can't stand him. The article did a good job in pointing out some of the vacuous and contradictory things he says and does.

Well said

Want to trade? Ours is far more of an embarrassment. ( to my thoughts).

I'll vote for the trade!

Good point! But it’s a toss up

So glad to hear Canada has its problems also...but doesn't everyone? It would be rather boring if everyone thought alike.

Well, i am NOT glad to hear Canada has its problems. We have a lot of Canadian friends here who i wish for nothing but the best.

Uh, no. It’s not a toss up. Not by a long shot. Trump is a crazy lying, immoral lunatic who is catering to the smallest-minded of Americans. At least Trudeau wants to bring out the best in us, not the worst. He is no danger to world order.

Well that’s a pretty generalized statement if i ever heard one. I know plenty of good Americans who are far from small minded and they support him. Guess anybody that doesn’t agree with you must be small minded huh.

Embothorium, did Obama embarrass the U.S. like our pretty boy does? It's fine to participate in the Pride parades, but he acts like an idiot when he does.

Surely you must have read or heard that he thought every day was Bollywood when he was in India. Don't you love the shoes??

WOW, Trudeau seems fascinated with that ladies lips lol lol

I would take Trudeau over the cheeto head we have in office, his slimy family and all the crooked swamp people he has surrounding him any day. He is so much worse than just an imbarrassment, he’s a serious threat to our democracy and our own security.

It amazes me that Canada voted him by a landslide and now they are all complaining about him.. Was he voted in because of his last name and looks??? Is that all it takes to be a PM? Every time I hear or read what people are saying about him, I only think, well Canada, you asked for him and got him.

Liira, he won a majority, even though he only had 39.5% of the votes. He picked up most of the seats though, which gave him a majority win.

He campaigned on legalizing marijuana, and he has a well-known name; his father was Prime Minister in the 70's and early 80's. A lot of people liked his good looks and his hair, which is why gl0ssy referenced it in her comment upthread.

He is pushing through the legalization of marijuana for July 1st, Canada Day even though a lot of provinces and municipalities aren't ready for it. The policing, road-side testing, etc, there are a lot of questions and he's not giving them much/any help.

With 39.5% of the votes, he lost by 60.5% which is not a landslide. More than 1/2 of the voters voted against him. His "looks" and the marijuana legislation is what won him the votes. Personally, I don't find him good looking at all and don't get it....... I didn't vote PC. I didn't vote Liberal. But if I only had the choice between him and Harper, I would go with Trudeau. I will NEVER EVER vote PC. EVER.

I didn"t vote for him either nor did I vote PC, but by the time the polls closed in Ontario we knew who won, but even living in Alberta, I was surprised how many liberal seats were won in this province. By a landslide I meant the Liberal party as a whole won.

I do not like Justin Trudeau either. I personally do not feel that he should have been elected leader of the Liberal party - but that people let their emotions get the better of them.

We have the upcoming provincial election in Ontario - this will be a problem especially based on the most recent leadership election.

I never let my emotions get the better of me when it comes to voting.

I saw part of Trudeau's speech that Elmer referred to and turned it off.

Trudeau won, first because Harper had been in so long and it was time to go. and then because of his father, his looks, who knows.

Harper was far too socially conservative for most Canadians. Catered too much to racist and religious elements within the party and in the country. I think Trudeau was elected in spite of, not because of, his name and lack of experience because he had a more positive, progressive global outlook. Harper, Trump, Scheer and their like would drag us back into the dark ages if they could with their isolationism and nationalistic ideologies.

Kaillean, if you thought Harper was too socially conservative, you must admit Trudeau is more-so. Harper wouldn't touch on the subject of abortions, even though the media tried to goad him. He only said that it's not a political issue, which he's correct.

Trudeau is allowing illegal immigrants to come here no questions asked, and right away they get free health-care and free rent, as Louise AB mentioned. This has created a surge in border-crossing agents required to "assist" the ones crossing at non-checkpoints coming in from the U.S. They're taking away the security guards from major airports like Toronto so that they can go to the border.

I do say "illegal" immigrants deliberately because, a couple of months ago I was speaking to a fellow who emigrated here from Europe decades ago. He said that Immigration Law specifically states that "you must settle in the first safe country you come to." These people are coming in from the U.S. to Canada, where they get preferential treatment. Trudeau is encouraging this, instead of slowing it or stopping it, and we have our own Canadians who are having trouble finding places to rent, and don't get coverage they need health-wise.

Well to be honest I wouldn’t call the US a safe country right now. If you had to pick a place to escape violence and gunfire would you choose US or Canada? Me too.

What should we do? Build a wall? People are going to come when the alternative at home could be death.

Harper wouldn’t allow an abortion vote but he allowed a lot of govt money to go to pro life groups which I strongly disagreed with. He kept the nutters in the party under control better than Scheer will do. I’ll give you that.

Jasdip -- I wonder if the words were "the first safe country" -- maybe the first country that abides by international law of refugee acceptance. The problem is, since the US President is conflating refugees/illegals/immigrants, legitimate refugees probably are afraid they won't get a fair hearing in the US. I can hardly blame them.

(edited for clarity)

Hmmm.. I could immigrate to Canada and get free health care and free rent??? Where should I enter? And I'm only half kidding!

Actually many of the immigrants are taken care of by the community and immigrant groups. But yes there is free healthcare. Yay Canada.

In comparison to the numbers actually coming in only a small portion are being taken care of by community and immigrant groups.

moonie technically I guess you can but these people are using an illegal border crossing, they are kind of.. jumping ahead of the line or trying to ... so to speak. And just because they are in doesn’t necessarily mean they get to stay, it’s complicated, but they do get government assistance to a degree and use of our health care services

"free" health care. My paycheques beg to differ. I lose about 30% of my pay to taxes, which also covers health care. But I would take that over the US system where I've read people pay ridiculous amounts for health care and they're lucky if it covers anything. I just don't like that my taxes pay for someone else's healthcare who has never paid into our system.