Best columns: International

CANADA

Let Trudeau flaunt his hotness

Editorial

Toronto Star

There’s nothing that prudent, sensible Canadians hate more than a flamboyant attention-seeker, said the Toronto Star. So it was no surprise that many pursed their lips in annoyance last week when Rolling Stone put Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the cover, alongside the tagline “Why can’t he be our president?” The photos made our handsome young leader “appear God’s gift to fitness, virility, and, of course, hair.” Back home, the “harrumphing duly ensued.” Trudeau may make foreigners swoon, but here in Canada he is justifiably criticized for failing to deliver on many of his campaign promises, including a new deal for First Nations and protection of the environment. “Get back to work,” Canadians muttered, “and stop being so darn photogenic.” One Conservative Party lawmaker even suggested that Trudeau’s high profile might hurt Canada’s prospects in trade talks with the U.S. because President Trump will get jealous. What nonsense. A prime minister who is well-liked abroad is an asset, and we needn’t hide him just to coddle Trump’s fragile ego. Remember, it was two years ago that the U.S. was rocking the “cool, progressive president,” while we had the gloomy, square Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Let’s “fret less and enjoy the fleeting moment of American envy.”

BRAZIL

Presidents here are doomed

Matias Spektor

Folha de São Paulo

The recent conviction of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for corruption should surprise nobody, said Matias Spektor. And by that I don’t mean to impugn Lula, who was sentenced to nine and a half years in prison, but rather our unwieldy political system, which almost requires corruption. Although Brazil supposedly operates a presidential system, where the executive and legislature are not formally linked, the reality is that no president can rule without the backing of a majority of lawmakers in parliament. Legislators will support the president only “in exchange for chunks of the budget and appointments to public offices where opportunities for juicy business are rife.” So the presidency becomes the clearinghouse for favors, and even heads of state who started out honest “go crazy with all sorts of bribes, apartments, country houses, renovation works for their mothers-in-law, jobs for their kids, pocket money for their brothers, briefcases full of money, and haircuts from renowned hairdressers.” Nearly every president we’ve had has been credibly accused of corruption, if not actually impeached, and the same goes for much of parliament. The only winners of this game are the business cartels and unions who are able to buy off lawmakers. The loser? “The public.” ■