Pubdate: Fri, 19 Jun 2015
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/letters.html
Website: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326
Author: Mark Kennedy
Page: A10

TRUDEAU ATTACKS 'CENTRALIZING' STYLE OF MULCAIR

Liberal Leader Says He Would Be More 'Collaborative' With Provinces, Cities

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has fired a rocket at Tom Mulcair, 
warning voters that if they are looking for a change from the 
governing Conservatives' centralized grip on power, the NDP leader is 
not the alternative.

Trudeau made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with the Ottawa 
Citizen and National Post.

With a fall election on the horizon and the New Democrats surging in 
the polls, Trudeau discussed a range of issues, including: how he 
would take the partisanship out of the Senate; how he would begin to 
move toward legalization of marijuana; why gender parity in the 
cabinet is important and achievable; and whether he would strike a 
deal with the NDP after the election to form a government.

And as Canadian voters looking to oust Prime Minister Stephen 
Harper's Conservatives consider the best option for change, Trudeau 
explained why he thinks they should be leery of Mulcair.

He said Mulcair's "leadership style" leans toward "centralization" 
instead of "collaboration" with the provinces. As examples, he said 
the NDP leader would "impose" a day-care model on the provinces. On 
climate change, he said Mulcair believes in a "made-in-Ottawa" 
approach that would be pushed on the provinces.

"This idea of centralization has always been core to the NDP's ethos. 
The fact that they have an awful lot of Quebec MPs right now, you'd 
think would have reduced that a bit.

"But they've gone back to their centralizing ways. I know that a 
prime minister of Canada needs to be deeply respectful of the other 
levels of government - whether it be municipal, provincial, or even 
nation-to-nation relationships with aboriginal governments."

By contrast, he said, "I come from a very collaborative, community 
approach to leadership through my own work. And that is what this 
generation - my generation of leaders - is all about."

As well, Trudeau said the Liberals have a strong team of candidates 
that will make "an extraordinary front bench.

"I have yet to see any people surmise about who Mr. Mulcair's finance 
minister might be. I know I have six or seven choices already for who 
those people could be."

In recent weeks, the Liberals have begun to unveil policy promises - 
including a tax-reform plan that Trudeau says benefits the middle 
class at the expense of the wealthy, and an ambitious plan aimed at 
reducing public cynicism about politics.

Trudeau said he thinks Canadians are beginning to learn about his proposals.

"We are very patient because we know that Canadians as a whole aren't 
paying a huge amount of attention to the federal political scene, and 
that's where polls are so volatile the way they are."

By early September, when the campaign is expected to begin for the 
Oct. 19 vote, Trudeau said, voters will start paying closer attention.

Speculation persists that if Harper is re-elected with a minority, 
Trudeau and Mulcair will defeat the Conservatives in the Commons and 
co-operate in a new government.

Trudeau said he is always willing to work with any party on issues 
that are important to Canada. But he said he has "deep disagreements" 
with Mulcair on "many things" - such as the NDP's promise to raise 
corporate taxes and its position that Quebec should be allowed to 
separate from Canada with a vote of 50 per cent plus one in a referendum.

Here are some other points from the interview:

Gender parity: Trudeau said that, if he becomes prime minister, half 
of his cabinet will be women.

"The number of studies that have pointed out that boards, 
organizations that reach gender parity or even close to gender parity 
create better decisions, have much better governance than other 
places - (that) is a very powerful argument to me," Trudeau said.

He said he has no worries about compromising the merit principle.

"I have no fears that on a purely merit basis, we will have an 
embarrassment of riches from which to choose in order to reach gender 
parity," he said.

Senate reform: A Liberal government would end many decades in which 
prime ministers have used the Senate as a dumping ground for 
patronage appointments, Trudeau vowed. Instead, he would make his 
choices based on the advice of others.

"It could be consultation with the provinces combined with prominent 
respected Canadians combined with ordinary Canadians' nominating 
people," he said.

Marijuana: A Liberal government would legalize marijuana use so it is 
regulated and more difficult for young people to buy. Its election 
platform will not have a specific regulatory plan for the types of 
stores that sell pot.

"There's a number of different mechanisms on that, and one thing that 
I've committed to is creating a Canadian system based on the best 
practices and the experiences that have been learned elsewhere," Trudeau said.

He indicated there would be discussions with provinces, which already 
regulate alcohol, and he expects that people would not be allowed to 
buy pot in approved outlets until they turn 18 or 19, depending on 
the province in which they live.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom