TRUDEAU NAME EXCITES CANADIANS JUST AS THE KENNEDYS MESMERISE AMERICANS

by Eddy Lok

OTTAWA, May 6 (Bernama) -- Young MP Justin Trudeau is getting some serious
attention following the historic defeat of the Liberal Party in the just
concluded Canada federal election - whether the famous name could rekindle
interest in the Liberals who were buried in a Conservative majority and National
Democrats’ sweep.

Just like the Americans are mesmerised by the Kennedys, Canadians may be
excited by the name Trudeau as Justin’s famous father is Pierre Trudeau, once a
Liberal Prime Minister himself.

Now the question of who should and will lead the Liberals has quickly
surfaced even before the election dust fully settles. This is especially so when
the Liberals suffered a double blow for their electoral collapse and the failure
of their present leader Michael Ignatieff himself to win a seat in the
308-member Canadian Parliament.

Political analysts and local media were quick to blame Ignatieff for failing
to ‘connect’ with Canadians and therefore leading to one of its worst electoral
performances, securing just 34 seats.

The Conservative Party took 167 seats, National Democratic Party (102),
separatist Bloc Quebecois, four, and the Green Party, a historic single seat
for the first time.

Liberal Canada lasted quite a while – from Wilfrid Laurier in 1896 to Pierre
Trudeau’s exit in 1984. Then came Jean Chretien, another Liberal Prime
Minister, who led Liberals to a political recovery for about a decade beginning
in 1993.

Many Liberals tend to regard the young Justin as their best hope to revive
the fortunes of the Party and wish he could grow up sooner.

But, 40-year-old Justin, the eldest son of Pierre Trudeau, is undecided if
he wants to replace Ignatieff as leader, saying in an interview on CBC News
Network that the Liberal Party had been in trouble for a number of years as it
had not been able to connect with Canadians.

Liberals had campaigned during the last several weeks as if they were going
to replace incumbent Stephen Harper and his Conservatives.

Instead, Harper received what he had asked for – a strong majority mandate –
that would most likely ensure political stability for Canada and keep
separatists at bay.

Liberals, which saw its seats reduced from 77 to 34, will meet next week to
choose an interim leader to head the party prior to a leadership convention.

Senior Liberal officials have since the May 2 election, acknowledged that
they need to be patient about selecting a new leader and rebuilding the strength
of their brand.

Asked if he's interested to lead, Justin said he wants to see the Liberal
Party getting strong again. "I'm undecided. I don't know whether me being
leader is the answer," Justin said.

He is mindful that because of his name and the legacy associated with it
through his father, many people are turning to him over the leadership issue.
Justin, first elected in 2008, said he honestly does not know if him being
leader is something that would help the Party or the country, adding that
rebuilding the party is going to be even more challenging with lesser MPs in the
new Parliament.

Liberal Party National President Alfred Apps said Wednesday this is neither
the time for rash judgements nor for Liberals to be seduced by political
expediency or parliamentary convenience.

"The Liberals do not want to rush into a leadership race. While we all have
to accept defeat, it does not mean that Liberalism is dead in Canada or that
liberal values are suddenly misguided or out of place or out of date," said
Apps.

Some Liberal candidates and officials said there is a need to debate the
Party's future and suggestions that they merge with New Democrats, led by Jack
Layton, who now form a formidable opposition in Parliament.

In the Liberals’ darkest hour, which they are unlikely to re-emerge from in
the foreseeable future, the New Democrats could offer themselves as the
alternative to the Conservatives in the next round of federal polls.