Where’s Waldo? Where’s Trudeau?

Canadians are once again left scratching their heads, wondering: Where in the world is Justin Trudeau?

This isn’t a whimsical game; it’s a serious concern. Our prime minister’s public itinerary resembles more of a cryptic puzzle than a straightforward schedule.

Canadians are increasingly frustrated, not just by the elusive nature of their leader, but by the broader implications of a government that promised openness but seems to offer anything but.

Veteran journalist Paul Wells recently highlighted that throughout the summer of 2024, Trudeau’s itinerary would often list “no public events,” only for the PM to mysteriously appear in various cities unannounced.

Instances in Kitchener, Scarborough, and Hinton indicate a pattern rather than a series of isolated incidents.

The constant cloak-and-dagger act begs a deeper dive into the implications and underlying strategies of such perplexing behaviour.

Trudeau has a Weird Tendency

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Justin Trudeau – and apparently, no one knows where he’s going to pop up next. Trudeau is as elusive and mysterious as every Canadian would not hope their country’s leader to be.

We talked about this before but Trudeau has a weird and very unexplainable pattern of behaviour where he just goes dark for seemingly long amounts of time and then pops up in unexpected places to talk about anything but politics. A pride parade? you know he is the first one there; a press conference about inclusivity with an attendance of only 4 people with one of them being the manager of the space being used? you just know Trudeau will give a speech there. And all of this is happening at random with no planning or a heads up.

I mean did Trudeau just forget about his public itinerary and his promise to the people to keep being open and transparent?

Veteran journalist Paul Wells shed light on this curious trend of Trudeau’s misleading itinerary, illustrating how our so-called transparent prime minister has become more like a phantom, appearing unannounced at public events. One can only wonder, does Trudeau view his public schedule as a state secret or is he just trying out for a new magic trick, The Disappearing PM?

Andrew MacDougall, former director of communications to Stephen Harper, expressed his irritation over this secrecy as well, remembering the days when the press gallery would howl at Harper’s every move? Well, it seems they’ve turned into the loyal lapdogs of the Liberals, conveniently ignoring Trudeau’s antics.

Trudeau is Not In Danger

“No, this isn’t about security,” MacDougall wrote in the Ottawa Citizen, debunking any claims that these secrecy measures are for the PM’s protection.

And he is absolutely right, Trudeau’s security team is robust enough; it’s the transparency that’s evidently lacking.
Critics argue this behaviour signifies more than just bad PR; it’s a glaring example of Liberal hypocrisy. After all, wasn’t it Trudeau’s Liberals who in 2015, with much pomp and circumstance, promised to maintain a transparent itinerary for all to see? So, what happened to that vow?

As usual, when it comes to the Liberals, promises seem more like campaign fodder, forgotten once they’ve nestled comfortably in power. Not only does this clandestine behaviour inconvenience and mislead the public, but it also causes political headaches.

Remember that infamous New Year’s Eve in December of 2016? Trudeau released a video highlighting Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations, urging Canadians to ring in the New Year together, which seems like a very noble sentiment, except Trudeau himself was not in Ottawa, nor even in Canada for god’s sake. Instead, he was vacationing on the Aga Khan’s private island. And we all know how that ended. That little escapade brewed a political storm, revealing just how out of touch our supposed man-of-the-people really is.

For those who find this secrecy inconsequential like longtime Liberal strategist Jamie Carroll egregiously stating that there are no votes to be won or lost on such issues. But that’s missing the point. This isn’t just about scoring political points; it’s about holding our leaders accountable.

Keeping Our Leaders Accountable

If Trudeau can’t keep a simple promise about transparency, how can Canadians trust him on more substantial issues? Let’s not forget that Trudeau’s antics come at a time when Canadians yearn for stability and straightforward leadership.

The cost of living is rising, healthcare systems are stretched, and international relations are in flux. People don’t need a government that’s playing hide and seek; they need leaders who are visible, accountable, and trustworthy. While the press gallery may have a convenient case of selective outrage, Canadians don’t.

They want to know what their leader is up to, and rightly so. And we are not talking about showing up to promote another useless investment only to be rattled by the press’ justifiable questions about things that happened when you were gone.

If Trudeau’s team can’t handle the basics of transparency, what else might they be conveniently forgetting to mention? The time for Teflon-coated PR and obfuscation is over.

The Trudeau administration needs to remember who they serve. Canadians deserve better than a disappearing act. They deserve leadership that stands tall and unafraid of scrutiny and judgement.