Trudeau and Russia: Nope. Not the Same
Shame on the Gazette for publishing Chris Nelson’s inflammatory commentary (“Trudeau and Russia have a lot in common”) on Feb. 22. A headline conflating Trudeau with Russia — or, let’s be honest, Putin — smacks of yellow journalism.
Air your prime ministerial beefs, Chris Nelson, but Trudeau’s evoking the Emergencies Act over the “Freedom Convoy” does not render him praiseworthy by Moscow’s State Duma. Temporarily freezing participants’ bank accounts to end border blockades over vaccine mandates is a far cry from Russia permanently seizing all property and valuables of those citizens spreading “false” (i.e. true) information, or demanding their country be held accountable for the Ukraine war through international sanctions.
Notably, Global News reported in 2022 that Russia Today covered the “Freedom Convoy” protests more than any other foreign outlet. Fox News came second. Do you think Russia Today was crossing their fingers, hoping that Trudeau would restore order and that democracy would crank along? Do you?
The simple fact that you can publish this tripe without Ottawa peering over your shoulder or sprinkling Novichok on your underpants/front doorknob/perfume bottle, or stirring Polonium into your cup of tea, or riddling you with bullets as you stroll down the Perron Street Bridge, or exploding you an airplane, or submerging you far too long in a swimming pool, or shoving you from a yacht, cliff, or hospital window while you puff on a cigarette, or reporting you’ve died a “natural death” at the age of 47, underlines the freedoms you as a Canadian journalist enjoy. And should enjoy.
Canada is not Russia. And Trudeau is no Putin. Just ask Alexei Navalny’s surviving family. Or ask the families of the estimated the over 300,000 (both sides) who have died in Putin’s attempt to overthrow Ukraine’s democracy.
In future, a more thoughtful headline and commentary might better honour this city’s award-winning newspaper.
E. Bradford, St. Albert
