Ottawa is in a funk. Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister, missed Canada’s crucial match against Belgium at the World Cup. His excuse?
He was watching his girlfriend, pop star Katy Perry, perform in Los Angeles. The optics are brutal. A prime minister ditching national duty for a concert?
The Westminster lobby is buzzing. Commonwealth allies are quietly fuming. Diplomatic sources say the move is seen as a snub, a sign of misplaced priorities.
Backbenchers in Trudeau’s own Liberal Party are restless. One MP muttered, 'He’s meant to be leading the nation, not playing groupie.' The conservative opposition is seizing on the polling data.
Recent surveys show Trudeau’s approval ratings slipping. This won’t help. International relations are a game of gestures.
Missing a match to watch a girlfriend on stage? That’s a fumble. The whispers are that Trudeau’s inner circle is in damage control mode.
But the damage is done. Canada lost 1-0. And now the PM has a PR headache.
The cabinet revolt hasn’t started, but the grumbling has. Commonwealth diplomats are exchanging knowing glances. They recall past prime ministers who put personal life before duty.
It never ends well. For Trudeau, this is a test of his hold on power. He needs to reassert his grip.
Fast. Otherwise, the knives on the backbenches will sharpen. The game is about perception.
And right now, Trudeau looks like he’s playing a different game altogether.
