Trudeau's closing remarks have become the subject of controversy.
I compared them to cilantro - people seem to love 'em or hate 'em, with a smattering of people who just found them odd.
Here they are in full:
The first reaction I had when he began to speak was a cringe - OMG, he's repeating the negative again!!
The next thing that stood out for me was the We are who we are, Canada is what it is line - what the hell was that? What are we, what's Canada - a Zen koan?
I was left feeling I'd heard a well-delivered elementary school class presentation - aspirational, but lacking substance, caught up on tropes in lieu of vision.
After having listened to this speech multiple times now, I still feel that way, but I think I have a better sense of what he was trying to achieve.
Recognizing that he clearly got a lot right for a lot of people (granted, everyone I know who likes it is partisan; everyone I know who doesn't like it is either partisan or not a fan of Trudeau in general), here's what I think could have been done to make it better.
Mr. Harper has spent millions of dollars on attack ads in an attempt to portray me as young and, because I'm young, not up to the job of leading our country.
There are youth voters who feel marginalized. There are a lot of parents of these youth who worry about their children's future, because they see their kids marginalized, especially when it comes to work opportunities.
Something like this is good - I like that it empowers people to think for themselves, something rare in political comms.
Mr Harper believes that being the boss means standing against - standing against change, against facts that disagree with his ideology. He seems to believe being the boss means opposing new ideas.
Said with quiet confidence. I hear him, I want to know what he thinks - what he really thinks.
Harper's boss - he likes being boss, he's not comfortable with challenge. He's got his base, but he stands squarely against modern reality of demographic tipping points, a new economic revolution and new understandings of everything from the environment to design thinking.
This is his weakness - he simply doesn't understand what's happening in our world and is instead trying to cling to a mythic past.
Leadership isn't about keeping the people in line; it's about empowering them to reach higher.
All good.
Subtle shout-out to his dad is fine, but what a great opportunity to provide context. How does he feel the country in his bones? Why? Trudeau's been to every corner of the country - a couple short anecdotes about what defines Canada for him, in his bones, would really help here.
Also - one of Harper's weak points that flows against the common narrative is that he doesn't crave power in the way a Donald Trump does; Harper is a man deeply uncomfortable in the world for whom power is a means to an end. He doesn't want power - he needs it, which is different.
What I learnt from my father is that leadership is born of love this country. You have to feel the pulse of its rivers in your veins; you need to feel the majesty of its mountains in your bones.
The country, you see, is a living, breathing creature - not a resource to be exploited.
Above all, you need to believe in its people.
- save this for later...
He likes being the boss. He believes in conformity. He sees our beautiful country as a resource to be exploited, not as our home.
And he fundamentally doesn't trust Canadians. This is why he only speaks to his party faithful, is secretive with our public information and why he micromanages your Members of Parliament.
I'm not interested in being the boss. I want to be the next Prime Minister of Canada.
Leadership isn't about keeping the people in line; it's about empowering Canadians to reach higher.
Mr Harper feels that his Canada is under attack - that new ideas, opposing ideas are threats to the Canada he clings to.
I respectfully disagree.
The Canada I know recognizes that diversity is strength and that new ideas aren't our greatest threat, but our greatest asset.
We don't cling to the past out of fear of change - we confidently build a better future, and we do it together.
- it took a while, but I think I got what the tenor of this line was; I just think it needs to be a bit more clear.
- could stick with this, but "respectfully disagree" is so much more Canadian (eh?)
- And ultimately, why I didn't like this line; one, it's too nebulous and two, it speaks to stagnancy. We are who we are, Canada is what it is. No; we are dynamic, thriving, evolving. The stand-pat argument is Harper's.
- I really, fundamentally disagree with this. You can have an economy that does wonders for the middle class - as arguably the industrial economy did - and still have booming poverty, employment discrimination, etc. It's his line, but it's not a concept I can support.
A country that works for everyone involves an economy that works for everyone.
Mr Harper believes that being the boss means standing against - standing against change, against facts that disagree with his ideology. He seems to believe being the boss means opposing new ideas.
Leadership isn't about keeping the people in line; it's about empowering them to reach higher.
What I learnt from my father is that leadership is born of love this country. You have to feel the pulse of its rivers in your veins; you need to feel the majesty of its mountains in your bones.
Above all, you need to believe in its people.
He likes being the boss. He believes in conformity. He sees our beautiful country as a resource to be exploited, not as our home.
And he fundamentally doesn't trust Canadians. This is why he only speaks to his party faithful, is secretive with our public information and why he micromanages your Members of Parliament.
I'm not interested in being the boss. I want to be the next Prime Minister of Canada.
Leadership isn't about keeping the people in line; it's about empowering Canadians to reach higher.
Mr Harper feels that his Canada is under attack - that new ideas, opposing ideas are threats to the Canada he clings to.
I respectfully disagree.
The Canada I know recognizes that diversity is strength and that new ideas aren't our greatest threat, but our greatest asset.
We don't cling to the past through fear of change - we confidently build a better future, and we do it together.
The Canada I want my children to grow up in is one where everyone's children have the opportunity to reach their full potential, whatever that might be, and be part of what makes Canada the best country in the world.
A Canada that inspires the rest of the world as well.
That's the Canada I believe in; that's the Canada we all know and love.
It's the Canada we can build together.
That's it.
I'd like to have more substance - expand on what the idea of Canada really means - but I there's a time limit and I recognize that the Party wants to take their time with the substance.
You have to start somewhere, though. The spark, the inspiration and the empowerment of people along the way is what leadership is all about.
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