A random collection of thoughts on Canada's 43rd general election. Day 16. Justin Trudeau is everywhere. He's riding the bus in Papineau.
He's hiking the Grouse Grind in Vancouver.
He's canoeing Lake Laurentian in Sudbury.
Some might pause to wonder when he ever finds the time to...work? What's happening here?
Why is Justin Trudeau leading his followers up Mother Nature's Stairmaster? Why is the media horde forced to wait beach-side for the Liberal leader to paddle ashore? A few random thoughts... First, pictures of a paddling Trudeau are preferable to other photos that have been making the rounds of the international news media lately.
Second, there's old fashioned sex appeal. Let's face it, PMJT is 48 years old and still looks like he could climb into a boxing ring and beat a conservative to a bloody pulp. Can you picture Andrew Scheer in a clingy top, short shorts and running three kilometers uphill? No. Scheer gives off more of a "let's get the kids some Dairy Queen on the way home" sort of vibe.
Trudeau in a canoe. Trudeau on a hike. Trudeau in a boxing ring. Trudeau in a wet suit. Trudeau with a surfboard. Topless Trudeau. He's the man you wish you were!
Justin Trudeau may have spent years building a global feminist brand, but this is very much about Trudeau in the masculine.
And it works like a charm.
Russian academics have called Vladimir Putin's outdoor adventures "reassuring virility." "Whether it was footage of Putin “saving”a crew of journalists from a Siberian tiger by shooting it with a tranquilizing dart, a photo shoot of Putin enjoying a shirtless fishing or horseback riding trip, an image of Putin zooming around a track behind the wheel of a Formula One racing car, or hurling his martial arts opponents to the ground...his public relations team and his supporters portrayed him as a strong, decisive, tough, and manly leader, successfully defending Russian national interests at home and abroad."
Justin in a canoe is vintage Trudeau. But in 2019 it's not without risk.
In light of the blackface scandal, many Canadians are wondering if the man is serious about the position he holds. Or is being Prime Minister just one grand adventure after another?