Can roll it in glitter

THE EDITOR, Madam:

When Finland’s President Alexander Stubbs sat down on the other side of the Oval Office fireplace from President Donald Trump on October 9, he appeared confident in discussing his country’s role in NATO, in shipbuilding and a few other topics. As always, his US counterpart took most of the questions posed by the omnipresent media circus, especially as on that day the Israeli government had just ratified the first parts of Mr Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan. Surprisingly, nobody thought to mention that it was all happening on the 85th anniversary of the birthday of John Lennon, whose iconic Give Peace A Chance and Imagine are such fitting anthems to mark this occasion.

Only two days before, the seat occupied by the Finnish president was reserved by Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney for 32 minutes; during which he spoke only for about 90 seconds, having been totally dominated by the US president. Viewers were embarrassed as he sat silently grinning, resembling an errant schoolboy waiting for discipline to be meted out by his principal. He is certainly not the only elected politician to appear somewhat silly in the Oval Office. In fact, several who participate in Mr Trump’s Oval Office fireside chats act in a similar way, and are completely subservient to their host.

If acting silly in the Oval Office were a crime, then most politicians would be found guilty and serving a life sentence at the Crowbar Hotel. Ironically, neophyte politician Mark Carney was elected PM earlier this year by campaigning wholly and solely on being best equipped to forthrightly handle Mr Trump’s unpredictable, erratic and outlandish behaviour. This was his second trip to the Oval Office in five months, and he’s certainly not lived up to his promises or expectations on either time. Mr Carney left the latest meeting after a short working lunch with no formal press conference, and his Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc handled media questions later at the Canadian Embassy.

The long-in-the-tooth minister, one of many hapless hold-overs from former-PM Trudeau’s scandal-plagued regime, gave very vague responses to very few questions, and left the podium hurriedly. Despite rhetorical build-up surrounding PM Carney’s latest foray to Washington, it can best be summed up by an expression heard in Australia many moons ago: “You cannot polish a turd, but you can roll it in glitter.”

BERNIE SMITH

Parksville, BC

Canada