Justin Trudeau is Afraid of Foreign Policy

Its a glaring example of media bias that last week Trudeau's Liberals started making excuses on skipping the Munk Foreign Policy Debate there was barely a squeak.

Trudeau's cowardly excuses were presented at face value when reported at all.  The Liberal War room's "demands" were repeated verbatim by the media and would have been labeled plagiarism if it occurred outside of an election.

Their excuses were:

1. The debate was not french enough.
2. The debate had ticket prices of $90 and are not available to the public.

That's it.  The Liberals will pull out of an important and prescient foreign policy debate just 21 days before a federal election and those are the reasons.

Should have blamed the dog.  I'm serious.  The dog ate my foreign policy debate would only be slightly less credible an excuse.  At least call in sick.  "Sorry Justin has a nasty hair-ache and won't be able to make it tonight."

Let's take a minute to dismantle these flimsiest of evasions before we tackle the real reasons Justin doesn't want to be in this debate.

First, the debate is not french enough.  The original press release mentions "french components" on stage and full french and english live video online and through CPAC nationwide. So this obliterates both objections right off the top.  100% of the debate is available to 100% of Canadians in both languages.  

Of course the former substitute drama teacher Trudeau wants to play his Dartanion role in the "on stage" french components as much as possible.  It's really about Justin.  A french language translator of english Justin just doesn't have the same screen affect as Dartanion.  The Liberals are desperate to take a bite out of the NDP in Quebec or they are hopelessly lost.  Trudeau absolutely needs to be seen in french or he's already lost the debate if not the whole election and the leadership of the party.

Next we have the ticket price.  The same Munk debate press release says the tickets are from $30 - $90, not $90.  The nose bleeds are probably $30 and the front row is $90, similar to any hockey game or concert.  You can also watch for free at home.  Who do the Liberals think they are fooling with this?  Even the biggest Trudeau fan knows that $90 for a front row seat to a potentially historic debate is a steal.  The Munk Debates aren't planning to break even according to their response to the Liberal dodge.  Its a charity funded event.  Nobody is making a profit from this.  Tickets went on sale to the public on Friday.  What is the problem?

The problem again is Justin.  Let's face it, Justin Trudeau is weakest on foreign policy.  From his flippant jokes about the invasion of Ukraine to the juvenile wise cracks about our mission against ISIL Justin consistently underscores his incompetence on this file.

When an ISIS inspired terrorist attacked parliament and killed a soldier, Justin (and I hope he was joking in poor taste here) implied he would run to the terrorist unarmed instead of running away. When terrorists kill children, athletes and spectators and then go on a rampage across Boston Justin's biggest concern is for the poor little terrorist who might have had some sad feelings.  We see this again and again from Trudeau from every angle.

Trudeau is not up to this debate on foreign policy.  He's afraid he's going to look exactly as he is: unready, and unfit to lead a country.

That is the real reason why the Liberals seek to pull out of the Munk Debate on Foreign Policy.  There is more downside for Liberals to showing up than dodging.  There is so much downside that looking like an inept coward is preferable to his marketing team. That's seriously bad.  One way or another, this debate could be what finally breaks the Liberal Party forever.

*h/t to Terry LaPlant for the community sourced photo of SAY NO TO THE LIBERALS AND NDP facebook group.

**UPDATE: With only minutes left before the deadline the Liberals have accepted the Munk Debate.  NDP has also committed.  Harper committed a long time ago.