'Trudeaumania' girdles the globe: Is this guy for real?

Well, Justin Trudeau, 43, the newly elected prime minister of Canada, is indeed generating a buzz among Thai women, but the fact is that he’s happily married.

Not that that stops the girls from ogling, of course, but, in all fairness to the guys who get slammed for thinking beauty is only skin deep, it’s been Trudeau’s pretty face and youth catching the ladies’ attention first. 

To be politically correct you should really praise his remarkable political views first and then add, as an aside, that his looks are a plus. But it’s tell-tale that it’s been the other way round. On the social media there are plenty of women squealing over his boyish charms before they find out that he’s got some truly revolutionary, socially conscious notions on his agenda. 

First there was the revelation that Trudeau plans to increase taxes on the rich. That must have struck a chord with Canadian voters, and it chimes with the general public sentiment around the world, including here in Thailand. 

But that’s just the appetiser. His Liberal Party, with a majority grip on parliament, plans to legalise marijuana, ensure that abortion is pro-choice and actually do something meaningful about climate change. If Trudeau is handsome, his policies are gorgeous.

The guy’s a chip of the old party bloc, it seems. 

It was his dashing father, Pierre Trudeau, who elevated Canada from stuffy to swinging while he was prime minister from 1968 to 1972. The old man rode to power on a wave of giddy “Trudeaumania”, and now his boy has done the same thing. 

As if to make sure every woman on the planet falls in love with him, Trudeau the Younger has just unveiled a cabinet of 15 men and 15 women. You don’t have to be female to appreciate such unprecedented gender equality. 

Whether you’re into politics or not, it’s amazing to see our fellow women taking up important positions. “Gender-equal cabinet!” was the shout heard round the Internet. It was a truly sexy thing to do. 

Trudeau has become the prime minister of girls’ dreams, a genuine phenomenon. 

Asked (absurdly enough) why gender balance was important, he replied, “Because it’s 2015.” That clever answer underlines his promises of big changes, starting with a generally younger and far more diverse array of cabinet ministers. 

However, before we wholeheartedly fall for him, we should remember that Trudeau isn’t the first politician who’s been clever with words or the first photogenic national leader. 

We’ve seen his kind before, in all parts of the world. Keep in mind that politics is all about image and saying whatever is necessary to appeal to voters.

Thus far, the Trudeau package looks great, and we’re always ready to judge a book by its cover. Nor is there anything wrong with hoping for better. US President Barack Obama talked Americans into voting for him (well, half of them, anyway) with his terrific speeches, and Sarah Palin got way up the ladder with a swell wardrobe and memorable turns of phrase. 

The game is to get folks’ attention first, grab power and then proceed from there. As for Trudeau, the man of the moment, you can fall in love with him if you wish. 

Courting always starts like this – you feel attracted to someone and want to learn more about them. You discover the strengths and the flaws before entering into a serious relationship. But what’s the first question you ask a close friend when she gets a new boyfriend? Is it “What does he look like?” or “Is he pro-abortion and pro-weed?”

The big difference with a personal romance is that, if it doesn’t work out, only one or two people suffer, while at the national level, when faith and trust go unrequited, millions are hurt. 

Is Justin Trudeau the real deal? Only time will tell. 

As with dating and marriage, you can only wade in and hope for the best, even if, in Canada’s case, the stakes are so much higher. If it doesn’t work out, there’ll be another candidate coming along shortly. 

Nevertheless, at this point, I believe most Thai women are envying Canada. How I wish our own country could have such an attractive choice when the next election rolls around.