“One of the great political speeches of my lifetime”
To the Expositor:
Yesterday I had the privilege of listening to one of the great political speeches of my lifetime. I have heard speeches by many great men with extraordinary minds. As a child I heard Churchill. As an adult, I heard John F. Kennedy, and Fidel Castro, Pierre Elliott Trudeau and President Obama. What makes a great speech? Great rhetoric and language of course, great silences, pauses, emphases and the reader’s sense of emotion, a respect for the orator’s passion, ideas and conviction. Yes, and vision, there is truly something called vision. But none of these speeches I have heard was better than Justin Trudeau’s speech in Brampton, Ontario yesterday.
The other thing that great political leaders do is to educate their people. Castro was perhaps the best at this, but Pierre Elliott was pretty good too. Harper’s talk of debate and discussion provokes only a bitter laugh. Trudeau senior could debate for hours in the Commons, never insult or sneer and always be learned, patient, informed and informative.
When Pierre was our prime minister we were the envy of the world for enlightened government as was made clear to me when I returned to England and friends and relatives asked me how we were so fortunate as to have someone with the charisma and brilliance of our leader. I know now we can do it again.
Joseph Gold
Kagawong
