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Canada's Prime Minister needs to stop being so Canadian
(REUTERS/Todd Korol)
Justin Trudeau.
Canada is having a moment.
Ever since the young, attractive, charmingly feminist Justin Trudeau was elected Prime Minister in October, we've been all over the world stage.
In Davos, Trudeau was the star of the World Economic Forum. He's already buddies with President Obama. Even The New York Times has declared Canada once again "hip" since his election.
But Trudeau runs the risk of squandering his moment in the most frustratingly Canadian way.
In an interview with CBS to be aired on Sunday, he talked about America's dominance and said Canadians must always be aware of what's going on with their neighbors to the south.
He added, according to an AP transcript: "I think we sometimes like to think that, you know, Americans will pay attention to us from time to time too."
Come on.
That sort of dejected (and slightly passive aggressive) language that Canadians have always adopted is what makes us such an easy target.
Canada has always suffered from the short-man's syndrome — you would too if you were America's younger sibling. But now is not the time.
After nearly 10 years under conservative leadership, Canada is finally starting to regain its reputation as a progressive leader on issues like immigration, the environment, and human rights.
And the world is paying attention. This week there was a record spike in Google searches on how to "move to Canada" following Donald Trump's victories in seven states on Super Tuesday.
I'm not going to sit here and tell you that Canada is set to become the next global power when America falls. But a lot of folks are looking to the country — and to its leader — for inspiration right now, and that's worth something.
Trudeau needs to do the most un-Canadian thing imaginable and learn to own that popularity.
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