Curiosity over Canada's next PM ripples across the globe
WASHINGTON -- A rare phenomenon is transpiring in a foreign capital where mentioning Canadian politics is generally about as likely to stimulate conversation at a dinner party as to get you disinvited from the next one.
People are curious about Canada's next prime minister.
It's evident on multiple fronts in Washington -- from conversations in cabs and coffee shops, in government offices and think-tanks, in media stories, and from foreign politicians looking to learn about Justin Trudeau.
Columns in the Guardian and New York Times mentioned the deficit spending.
In a piece titled, "Keynes Comes to Canada," Paul Krugman wrote that, "Canada has surprisingly often been the place where the future happens first. And it's happening again... (Trudeau) has an opportunity to show the world what truly responsible fiscal policy looks like." The Guardian's William Keegan wrote a piece titled, "Cameron falters but Canada understands: we need Keynes."
Some economists will grumble with the accuracy of the analysis -- arguing that Conservatives in Canada clearly practiced Keynesian economics, by drastically expanding spending during the 2009 recession and then withdrawing it as the economy returned to safer ground.
But he said populists generally lost throughout American history to rivals who embraced open trade, free markets, cultural diversity and regulated capitalism.
Zakaria quoted a line from Trudeau's victory speech: "One could imagine FDR in the depths of the Depression, cocking his head up, with his cigarette-holder jutting skyward, saying,
'Sunny ways, my friends, sunny ways.'
Curiosity over Canada's next PM ripples across the globe | CTV News
