, 02.28.2019 06:33 AM

#LavScam: in yesterday walks tomorrow

Thirty-five years ago today, Pierre Trudeau “took a walk in the snow” and resigned.

If what Jody Wilson-Raybould testified yesterday is true – and there is plenty of reason, now, to believe it is – Justin Trudeau needs to do likewise.

As just about every columnist and editorial board is writing his morning, Justin Trudeau has lot the moral capacity to govern. As my old friend John Ibbitson put it in the Globe: “A prime minister who has been accused of such abuses by his own former attorney-general should no longer have the confidence of the House of Commons. This government should fall.”

Justin Trudeau needs to talk a walk in the snow.

22 Comments

  1. Jeffy says:

    Hey Warren. Not sure if you can correct typos but there’s a minor one .. lot instead of lost.

    Best Regards

    The comma committee

  2. Steve says:

    I had a feeling that Jody Wilson-Rayboulds testimony would be bad. I just did not expect it to be as explosive and devastatingly detailed as it was. The honesty, courage and strength of this proud woman is extremely admirable. I watched her entire testimony and it was clear to me she was telling the truth. To see Trudeau come out afterwards with an arrogant attitude and basically double down on calling his former AG a liar left me with a sick feeling. I hope the Liberals band together and talk some sense into Trudeau. Pursuing what appears to be his continued strategy of smear & denial is going to make things worse for himself, and his party.

  3. Luke says:

    Seems JT is considering barring her from caucus and being a Liberal candidate in the election. That move would seem terribly inadvisable to me. Take this apparently hyper-competent, ethical, smart person and turf her because of her backbone and the political inconvenience of her ethics? Good lord. Go ahead, ban her. Make a martyr out of her. I’d probably vote for whichever party she joined thereafter.

    What is next in all this is very interesting, to say the least. What becomes of the Liberal caucus? How will their loyalties divide? Will there be an exodus of pro-JWR members? If so, where is their new political home? What about the Liberal party membership? Can they trigger a leadership review or something?

    Next election will be something else — left and right both split, both unappealing, not any better in the centre. I seriously see nothing other than Greens as an option I could stomach (ignoring local candidate considerations, which are important to me).

  4. Robert White says:

    Typo on ‘ writing his morning.’

  5. Kinsey says:

    Remember when Justin Trudeau was constantly saying “Women need to be believed”?

    And now, he completely dismisses out of hand Jody Wilson-Reyboild’s detailed, hours-long testimony before the Commons Justice Committee …

  6. Willie Wilson says:

    Why compare Lavscam testimony to Michael Cohen?
    Better to compare Lavscam to Enron. Not 100% analogy, but closer. Enron’s shady book-keeping also destroyed Arthur Andersen Accounting Firm.
    Latest Angus Reid poll shows Scheer gaining, but look closer at polls: Liberals ahead by 10 points in Quebec. Paradoxically Lavscam helps Trudeau in Quebec. Also, Doug Ford & CAQ: will voters choose Scheer? Dunno.

    • Vancouverois says:

      Does it help him in Quebec, though? That remains to be seen. Remember the Sponsorship scandal – even though Quebec got all that money, it didn’t play well.

      Today a lot of Quebec commentators are acknowledging that whatever they may think of JWR’s decision not to intervene to spare SNC-Lavalin, it was unquestionably interference for Trudeau to keep pressuring her after the decision was made.

      Quebeckers are individual people, not all the greedy criminal monsters some would make them out to be. And like most people, most of them do have a sense of right and wrong.

      • Willie Wilson says:

        Thanks 4 a thoughtful & civil reply. I don’t mean 2 characterize any voter; I simply note the needle hasn’t moved in Quebec. Yet. And Ford is attacking healthcare in Ontario, quite significantly. The ballot-box question in the East could be Liberal corruption, but other questions could arise. Also, I never miss a show called INFOMAN. Wonder what they’ll say? Only 2 hours to wait!! French CBC, Thurs @ 7:30

  7. Kinsey says:

    (Warren, could you pleasecorrect the spelling in my post so that it reads “ *out* of hand “?

  8. Stephen G says:

    Looking forward to kinsellacast #53
    It will be a doozy!

  9. Sean says:

    Justin’s attempt to lie his way out of this won’t work. Much of what JWR said is backed by Justin’s comments, the comments from members of the PMO, as well as credible reports from the Globe and Mail. His attempts to manipulate opinion by rationalizing his conduct,
    as the protector of jobs, indirectly support JWR.

  10. Max says:

    While it is possible to disagree on opinion, one cannot disagree on fact. I’m sure Warren would concur with the notion that “a fact is a fact… and when a fact is a fact its factual. And that’s a fact!” (A spin on the ol’ ‘a proof is a proof and proven’ and it is applicable here!) JWR has laid out facts. Let’s have some from the other side. We’re past parsing and dissecting “feelings” and “characterizations”. As for the diversion of “6000 job losses”, the work will get done. Jobs will be given to ethical contractors who will now bid in tenders and have a level playing field. Canada will survive should SNC Lavalin move to London. Oh, one last thing, to the Liberal bottom-feeders on the Justice Committee who sneered and snidely asked Jody why she didn’t resign – she “didn’t cut and run”. She’s got more honour and integrity in her fart than you have in every fiber of your being. History will show you were on the wrong side.

  11. Lance says:

    There is no more appropriate song that fits this whole shindig as belted out by Nancy Sinatra –

    https://youtu.be/SbyAZQ45uww

  12. Rob Harvey says:

    If Junior was an honourable man, he would resign. That’s why there is zero chance he will do that.

  13. The Doctor says:

    I don’t think he’ll resign. He basically is the Liberal brand these days. And his advisors still see a clear path to victory later this year, one that goes squarely through Quebec. Remember, the Quebec punditocracy is still very supportive of SNC.

    • Gord says:

      Yep. They’re doubling down on a Quebec sweep to carry them to victory.

      Problem is Quebec holds a dwindling percentage of the Commons seats. Harper won a majority with the West and suburban Ontario. If the stink of LavScam pushes 905 voters away from the Liberals it’s game over.

    • Ronald O'Dowd says:

      Doc,

      They’re wrong. Think back to Mulroney who took off in one province. The others quickly noticed and that was the start of the PC steamroller.

      This could happen with Scheer if Trudeau’s Ontario numbers steadily trend down right into the sub-basement. Trudeau won’t win without Ontario, no matter how strong the Liberals are in Quebec. Watch for his BC seats to start shaking loose next.

      • Willie Wilson says:

        With Ford working his magic on Ontario hospitals, it may be premature to predict Trudeau numbers in “the sub-basement.”

        How would Scheer co-exist with the American Elephant? Let’s put a piece of cheese on the floor and see?

        Note: Trump drinks 12 cans of Diet Coke daily. Coke has a Trump problem, not the other way around.

  14. Sam White says:

    Couple, well a few actually, things I have noticed about Justin:

    Some people think he comes across as smart & intelligent, for the life of me I don’t and can’t see it. He comes across to me as intellectually shallow and uses his persona to mask this. In simpler terms, not the sharpest knife in the drawer. But that’s just me.

    His ego is huge, in my 62 years on this planet I don’t think I’ve seen many bigger than his.

    Resigning in disgrace is not in his DNA, I think he truly believes he’s entitled to lead this country, period. Whether it’s by virtue of his last name, sycophantic friends & followers reinforcing this etc. I have no idea. I have no wish to delve any further into his mindset.

    Of the five types of narcissists, the know it all, grandiose, seductive, bullying & vindictive, he seems to fit them all. I’m not sure which slot he fits best, but he IS a narcissist, there is zero doubt about that.

    • Walter says:

      “Some people think he comes across as smart & intelligent”

      I have yet to hear this once.

      • Ronald O'Dowd says:

        Walter,

        He’s certainly not MENSA but he’s not a dunce either.

        However, can’t believe the way he thought-processes.

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