Thank You, Prime Minister

This is a bit of a different post, and will be a little political, so feel free to tune out of this one. I know politics right now is horrendously exhausting. Also, as  warning, I will be deleting any comments that are antagonistic or inflammatory. I am also tired. And I am not required to platform awful people or things. So, I won't.

This week in Canada (where I am, for my international readers), a new Liberal leader was elected. This, following the resignation of our previous Liberal leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. I won't talk about his replacement. I have some serious concerns, but don't know him well enough to cast judgement just yet. But I will talk briefly on Trudeau.

To be perfectly clear, I do not like or agree with everything that he's done as our Prime Minister. But I do think that he has copped a lot of flack that was entirely undeserved. I also think that, given the unprecedented circumstances we have faced the last eight or so years, he carried this country through better than most anyone else could have. I was impressed with him during Covid. I appreciated his science-based, no-nonsense approach to public policy during an incredibly trying time; and against incredibly trying, nonsensical and idiotic resistance to good sense and caring for our fellows.

Recently, with Agent Orange back in power and fast-tracking our southern neighbours into fascism, I have once again been impressed with the measured, reasonable way Prime Minister Trudeau has responded. With such a maniacal baby in power to our south, I have felt reassured that at least our elected official was one of the adults in the room. Is the situation good? No, no it's not. But that is not Trudeau's fault. Nor was the inflation he was accused of orchestrating. Or the cost of living crisis, while we're at it.

A lesser leader would have folded. But Trudeau did not. He was not unkind, he was not rash or thoughtless in his response. But he stuck to his guns to protect the sovereignty of the country he leads.

And Canadians everywhere have risen to the challenge, too. My socials are flooded with images of supermarket shelves with Canadian made products selling out, and products from the US have remained largely untouched. I'm proud of Canada for this. We couldn't get it together enough to protect our fellows during Covid (because of those loudmouths I obliquely referenced earlier), but we've really done well this time.

So, I would like to wish outgoing Prime Minister Trudeau well. Thank you for your steady, humane and adult leadership in extremely turbulent times. History will remember you far better than your opponents, I am certain.

Slán go foill.