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In what is perhaps a sign of the burgeoning popularity of the newly-elected Liberal MP for Papineau, a busload of constituents from Park Extension paid $20 each last week to take a two-hour bus ride to Ottawa to see Justin Trudeau being administered the oath of office. According to a Trudeau aide, it was the first time in the riding's long history that a group of residents accompanied their MP to the capital to witness his inauguration.
A question of time?
"I wish him one day, even in four years or five years, Mr. Justin Trudeau will be the prime minister of Canada, I pray almighty God," is how Amuthan Annamala, a Park Exer of Sri Lankan origin, summed up his feelings. "It's a question of time, but some people believe that maybe one day he will be in the top position of this country," said Nahid Hussain, another Park Ex resident, who was perhaps just a little more cynical, since he serves as an attaché to City of Montreal opposition leader Benoît Labonté.
Not even Trudeau's mother, Margaret, was able to shed more light on the question of her son's political future. "I have no idea, nor does he," she said, when asked by a journalist whether people are right to be considering former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau's eldest son a future leader of the Liberal Party. "I'm sure he's got a lot to learn, and I think people are sentimental and have hopes," she added. "But Justin's path is Justin's path. If that is it, that's it. But I don't think he has any ambition for it now."
Top choice in poll
Following the announced resignation last month of Liberal leader Stéphane Dion, a country-wide poll released in late October rated Justin Trudeau the top pick by Canadians as next leader of the Liberal Party. The online survey, conducted by Ipsos Reid, explored support for nine potential leadership candidates. Trudeau finished first with 16 per cent of the vote. Michael Ignatieff and Frank McKenna were tied for second. However, pundits have suggested that the results were merely an indication of the public's disdain for all the other candidates. How does Justin Trudeau react to this?
"I mean, I smile, it's obviously flattering," he said in an exclusive interview with NPEN. "But for me the people who say 'Justin's going to be the next prime minister' are the same as the people who hate my guts. The extremes are not based on people who know me. And that's why what's been so important for me is — and you've seen that — I 've spent all my time on the ground in Papineau — for people to get to know me. And if people have a great opinion of me or a bad opinion of me without knowing me, sure, okay, I'll accept it, but I have to focus on the people who know me. And the people who know me best are the people of Papineau."
'Stay out,' says former MP Prud'homme
Marcel Prud'homme, who served as the Liberal MP for the area from 1964 to 1993 and now sits as an independent in the Senate, was on hand to congratulate the new MP and to dispense some political advice. "He has to stay out and I would do my utmost to … convince him to stay out, not only of the race, but to stay out of giving his support to any candidate," he said about the earlier rumours of Trudeau's interest in the Liberal leadership contest. "He just arrived. It's not really wise." Concerning Trudeau's future prospects, he added, "No doubt about that, but not at this time."
Villeray/St-Michel/Park Extension Borough Mayor Anie and Park Extension city councillor Mary Deros travelled to Ottawa to take part in the event. "We wanted to come and share this special moment and congratulate him," said Deros, adding that Trudeau is in a position to help find solutions for Park Extension's many needs. "It's very important for the borough," added Samson. "It's going to be very important for Park Extension, because we're going to have contact and I think he's going to do a good job."