Sunday, August 9, 2015

Justin Trudeau is a true politician

It didn't take Justin Trudeau long.

He's never responded to anything I've ever sent him. Not even a form letter response. Nothing. But this apparently isn't how he started out in politics.

In his 2014 memoir Common Ground, he's all ga-ga over himself and how awesome he was when he responded to a blogger with a "lengthy personal" reply:
"As the meeting date approached, I grew increasingly optimistic. At the end of April, I started to win over some critics, largely because they recognized the sheer doggedness with which I worked the riding. I also believe I had better insight than my competitors into the changing nature of politics and media. When a local blogger asked each candidate a series of questions about poverty, identity politics, immigration, and other issues, I responded with lengthy, personal replies that drew on my experiences in the riding. The other candidates chose not to respond to him at all, presumably assuming that few voters bother to read political  blogs. But even in 2007, I knew that the Internet was becoming a critical tool for expanding a political party's outreach, especially to younger supporters. 
To my delight the blogger, who had been telling his readers I was destined for failure, gave me a respectful nod on his website for taking the time to answer his questions. This was a small thing—I doubt that it swayed more than a handful of votes—but it reinforced my belief that today's activists and supporters expect and deserve direct engagement through the digital media."
As a Canadian taxpayer, I have this funny habit of writing letters to elected politicians about issues that concern me. Rarely do I get a personal response from them--if I get a response at all. (It did happen once with Stockwell Day and I was shocked.)

Even my letter with 397 signatures on it to Mr. Trudeau wasn't worthy of a response from him.

Justin Trudeau has simply morphed into a true politician. He thinks he's beyond the civil niceties of respecting people who write him. Respect is for wimps I guess.

Am I expecting too much in asking for a real answer to a real question of the men and women who run our country, on our behalf? I don't think so.

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