Ivison: PM Trudeau offered up a mea culpa over the SNC Lavalin affair that was more mea than culpa. The prime minister visited the National Press Theatre early Thursday before leaving for Iqaluit, where he was to apologize to northern Inuit residents for the federal government’s behaviour during the tuberculosis epidemics of the 1940s and 50s, when many were separated from their families.
But a snow storm diverted his plane to Happy Valley-Goose Bay, N.L., and the ceremony was cancelled. If it ever comes off, It will be an opportunity for more images of the kind in which Trudeau and his spin-doctors have specialized over the past three years – a chance to highlight his compassion, empathy and sensitivity, while apologizing for historic wrongs that he personally had nothing to do with.
Yet when it comes to accounting for his own mistakes, he is less demonstrative. His advisers had previously suggested his appearance to answer questions on SNC would involve a display of contrition – perhaps conjuring up the image of life in Stornoway, the residence of the leader of the Official Opposition, to coax a tear.
The case for the prosecution is that the prime minister is so convinced of the righteousness of his agenda, he discounts behaviour he would not have tolerated from his political opponents.
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