It had been a tumultuous year, but Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party was still sitting comfortably in the polls, almost ten points clear of the Conservatives, and he could reflect on the fact that all but two first-term majority governments in the entire history of Canada had been re-elected.
But political troubles are not like flurries on a river — one moment white, then melted forever. They are more like mounds of thick, wet slush that pile up until they block a government’s progress. The blizzard that blew away any complacency in Liberal ranks, and forced Trudeau and his advisers to recognize that victory at the next election was not preordained, was the prime minister’s ill-fated passage to India in February 2018.
It all smacked of the kind of cultural imperialistic tourism that Mark Twain lampooned 150 years ago in The Innocents Abroad: “In Paris, they simply opened their eyes and stared at us when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.” “We walked into a buzzsaw — Modi and his government were out to screw us and were throwing tacks under our tires to help Canadian conservatives, who did a good job of embarrassing us,” said Gerald Butts, in his evaluation. “But none of that is the core issue …. Nobody would remember any of that had it not been for the photographs. We should have known this better than anybody — in many ways we’d used this to get elected. The picture will overwhelm words.
Veterans inside the Liberal government kept their heads while the less experienced were losing theirs. “The India trip plays into a narrative that Trudeau’s not serious, but voters will not be saying in the polling booth, ‘All things being equal, I’d like to vote for him but those costumes in India were so fucking stupid.’ Those people don’t exist,” said one battle-scarred campaign vet.
He always looks like an idiot, thats pretty much his normal..
BobSaroya What a jackwang
TrudeauMustGo
I think he made himself look foolish in more countries than just India.
Is this the first of many whitewashes by Mr Butt? Too many to count.
Geee and Harper or Baird did not . With the mini Bushjr at the UN 🙄🙄🙄
get over it
Anyone who thought the India debacle was a good idea should be nowhere near the reigns of govt. It shows chrystal clear that Trudeau has the judgement of a moron therefore ... TrudeauMustGo
poor kids look frightful/fearfull...what a $ucking jerk this dog trudterd is
Butts and co created this fiasco.If Trudeau had any judgement he would have nixed it.Cultural appropriation is abhorred by Libs yet these fools do it...We are seriously at odds with India, China, USA , etc all due to Butts and Trudeau.
Feel sorry for the kids, especially the boys
Did you just figure this out? The daggers are out and no one is above being sacrificed if it might get the Liberals re-elected. I am very happy to watch the liberals self destruct TrudeauMustGo
Rockchip77 Every time I see that picture I throw up a bit. What kind of idiot dresses up like that Trudeau is pure buffoon
The National Post has been promoting this story and the book about it for weeks. WTF?
Even kids are dazed.
What normal rational people would actually do this? Trudeau is a complete idiot! TrudeauMustGo
Trudeau makes himself look foolish in Canada every time he opens his mouth so India isn’t alone
He was trying too hard.
So, what you are admitting here is that our current PM is self obsessed as opposed to serving the people of Canada. Right? All I’m asking for the last 4 years is if NOT he, someone anyone start addressing the needs of Canadians for a change. This is an image bldg thing.
Sometimes we all look foolish. We all make mistakes and errors in judgment. No harm, no foul.
Even his son is looking like 'WTF'! My dad is Nuts!!! Where is Mr. Butts when we need him....no Butts about it...we know who makes all the decisions...lol🤣🤣🤣
Great reporting NP. Keep this most embarrassing moment for Canadian international relations in the news right up until election day. Our buffoon PM should not get a free pass from the media for shaming us internationally.
Just-a-Trudeau is in over his head. He is an entitled little snot. A virtue-signalling empty-headed TypicalLiberal.
The kids look decidedly unhappy about their situation.
That picture is perfect.
One day this will be a heritage moment.
I totally disagree with dragging Sophie into this. His handlers might have stressed it wasn't such a good idea she may have felt otherwise. When you're married you may do things that you are not happy with but you do it nevertheless. But... her name should have never come up.
Where is his picture prostrating to the Holy Cow in India?
Stop the presses! He has made a fool of himself everywhere he has gone; and continues to every time he speaks.
And to have view into the true colour of the libs.. they want to throw Sohpie under the bus rather than Butts or Telford or Justin.... The sort of people your grandparents warned you about Duplicitous self serving *ucks. nbpoli onpoli bcpoli
TurdeauMustGo
TrudeauMustGo
How is this news? Wasn’t this covered to death when it happened? C’mon
This is nothing but Conservative political garbage. Any reasonable person should just ignore this crap.
Most East Indians have great respect for Trudeau
Do not blame PM . Blame his advisors in India
The kids went into shock muttering how they would live this down with their friends now and in the future.
It was glorious to behold! Didn't care one bit if he embarrassed 🇨🇦 he embarrassed himself more. fool TrudeauMustGo
This turdeau needs to be flushed before he does more damage.
Remember, he also sounded foolish.
What a warrior. Walking singlehandedly into a buzzsaw. Our hero. Why did he wait so long to share his gallantry? He's so modest.
Only someone who lacks respect for Indian cultures would think he made himself look foolish.
😅
You think he made himself foolish ? Imagine his kids being average Canadian teens ? how foolish they would look ? My my, what abuse they would face ? Sorry for talking about kids ? just thinking what teens have to put up with these days ?
Looks like Trudeau is not the only one who has respect for other cultures✊ hypocrites cons
Hypocrites
Again with this?! Yes, he looked like an idiot. Now move on to, I dunno, NEWS.
Like this
Are we gonna talk about AndrewScheer’s trip to India? The trip we paid for where he couldn’t actually accomplish anything because he’s not the PM
How did JT make himself look foolish? He showed up.
InRodWeTrustMTL 🙄🙄🙄. Can we focus on actual issues and policies? I guess we can’t because AndrewScheer doesn’t have any
Seriously this guy is our PM ?
Trudeau and his family will NEVER live this one down!
Love this, National Post has just revealed that they support the Conservatives! Go National Post, thanks for the reveal. Of course, it's no surprise that the National Post backs Andrew Scheer.
Why . . because he emulated the old saying, 'when in Rome do as the Romans do while on a trip to India with his wife and kids? Too bad 'Lord Black' didn't think about his image a bit more before he earned a 'visit' to a U.S. prison.
He looks fooloish everyday, not just in India
Recycled “news”
Really--THIS is all you've got...? Gotta fill space with something while awaiting Conrad Black's next pro-Trump puff piece...
What an embarrassment he is.
get out，fool patato.
What a gong show that was. Thanks for bringing back the memories.
In India ?
Made & continues to make Canada look foolish on the world stage.
I wouldn’t use the word “foolish” when referring to the dear leader. He’s more of an idiot.
At the end of the day, the liberal is a cheap, condescending traitor. Justine encapsulates that very well.
A well-written article. My favourite part: 'Trudeau is an ardent runner and jogs wherever he happens to be in the world. By pure coincidence, a photographer seems to be available on every occasion. '
This ancient story is what represents news now for the National Post? Pathetic.
That’s what happens when you market yourself like a boy band...shallow, vacuous and targeted towards low information voters.
Oh give it up with this old shit. Focus on the issues and what differentiates the two major parties so we can decide who to vote for. Right now, they both offer very little.
that tattooed Obama of Canada is hilarious
When your whole persona and career is based on photo shoots, clothes, marketing and fluffy, feel good, substance free speeches. Then a fashion faux pa is extremely devastating. - Live by the superficial, die by the superficial.
Lets be fair if we will... he made his whole family look foolish. He made the entire country feel foolish for electing him.
can't wait to vote him out..
Lol