I'm inclined to agree with those who suggest that former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney's endorsement of Justin Trudeau for the leadership of the federal Liberal Party reflects Mulroney's own upset at being rejected by the Canadian Conservative Party, successor to the Progressive Conservative party that he ran into the ground as two-term prime minister.
During an interview with CTV’s Power Play on Monday, in which Mulroney spoke about the death of former British prime minister and fellow conservative Margaret Thatcher, he also took time to praise Trudeau.
“I’ve known Justin since he was a child. He’s young, articulate, attractive – a flawlessly bilingual young man. What’s not to like with this picture?” he
Trudeau is widely expected to be named the next Liberal leader at an event in Ottawa on Sunday.
Mulroney also had a warning for Trudeau’s political rivals.
“Anybody who … treats Justin Trudeau with scorn or derision or underestimates him, does so at his own peril,” he said.
“We’ll see what happens in the future; it’s a long way from here to there. But no one should underestimate Justin. He’s a man of some consequence.”