Book Review: ‘The Truth About Trudeau’ (Canada's Typhoid Mary of Western Civilization's Auto-Immune Disease?)

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Trudeau II: Justin Trudeau                                          Google Images

BOOK REVIEW: ‘The Truth About Trudeau’

Michael Taube

THE TRUTH ABOUT TRUDEAU

By Bob Plamondon
Great River Media, $34.95, 411 pages

Pierre Elliott Trudeau served as Canada’s 15th prime minister from 1968 to 1979, and again from 1980 to 1984. His critics and admirers both acknowledge he was many things to many people: youthful, energetic, intelligent, strategic and a keen observer of politics. A liberal by political persuasion, he was loved by Canada’s left and reviled by Canada’s right.

Two of Trudeau’s biographers, Christina McCall and Stephen Clarkson, coined a popular saying about their well-known subject, “He haunts us still.” This is certainly true in terms of books written about this particular prime minister, which have been overwhelmingly positive. That’s not to say the work of Trudeau biographers such as John English, Richard Gwyn, Thomas Axworthy, Max and Monique Nemni, Ms. McCall and Mr. Clarkson are devoid of merit. Rather, it’s just that the critiques — that include a few volumes by Lubor J. Zink — have been few and far between.

Bob Plamondon has taken a huge first step in changing this perception. An author, researcher and conservative political commentator, he is among those Canadians spoken about in mere whispers who refuse to worship at the feet of false political idols. Mr. Plamondon’s new book comes with one of the most straightforward titles you’ll ever see: “The Truth About Trudeau.” In turn, it will help blaze an important trail in achieving some level of balance in the analysis of Trudeau’s time in office.

To fully understand how Canadians got caught up in “Trudeaumania” (as it used to be called), the myths of “Trudeaupia” (his utopian vision) have to be systemically broken down.

Mr. Plamondon’s well-written account shows how Trudeau “distanced Canada from our traditional allies and undermined our relations with countries upon whom we relied for trade and national security.” Meanwhile, the former prime minister’s “fascination with socialism, even communism, made him unique among western leaders. It proved a lifelong enthrallment, grounded by Trudeau’s socialist inclinations and his many treks to communist countries while a private citizen, places where most foreigners did not often tread.” With the notable exceptions of Mr. Zink and now Mr. 

Plamondon, few writers have been willing to discuss Trudeau’s political past in the shadow of the Iron Curtain.

Conservatives, libertarians and other right-leaning individuals will be pleased with the way “The Truth About Trudeau” dissects Trudeau’s various political and economic positions.

For example, this “self-proclaimed champion of individual liberties … largely tilted the playing field against free speech by imposing an expensive, bureaucratic and, at times, zealous Human Rights Commission and Human Rights Tribunal.” With respect to immigration, he “embraced multiculturalism as the antidote to nationalism . . .

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/8/book-review-the-truth-about-trudeau/#ixzz2bZbdPObm