Canada’s new Prime Minister withdrawing jets from Syria, Iraq

Justin Trudeau’s Liberals swept to power in Monday election, ending almost a decade of Conservative rule under Stephen Harper.

The Prime Minister-designate is Justin Trudeau, the oldest son of former PM Pierre Trudeau who in the ’70s was a sort of prototype Bill Clinton and Margaret Trudeau who had an affair with Ted Kennedy and hung out with the Rolling Stones.

In another sign of Canada’s move away for the hawkish policies pursued by Mr. Harper, Trudeau has pledged to cancel an order for 60 F-35 Joint Fighter jets from Lockheed Martin. With 184 elected Members of Parliament, the Liberal Party now has a solid mandate to govern for the next four years.

But he says within his first 24 hours, Trudeau told President Barack Obama Canada will withdraw air strikes against the Islamic State. “LiUNA is proud of the outstanding efforts and focused leadership of the Liberal Party and we look forward to working together with the Trudeau Government on many initiatives for a promising future for all Canadians”.

More information on Canada’s proposed pipeline projects and Trudeau’s stance here.

Prior to committing himself to a career in politics in 2008, Trudeau had held an assortment of jobs outside of public service.

He has less than 40 days before the Paris climate conference begins, hardly time for yet-unnamed energy and environment ministers to get up to speed, let alone to forge a common position with Canada’s 10 provinces on carbon emissions cuts.

And gone, too, will be the Conservative habit of pushing policies at home that were popular with Harper’s right wing but divisive among the larger electorate, such as sweeping new anti-terrorism laws that were passed after a gunman attacked Parliament last October.

More information on Trudeau’s environmental concerns here.

But if Canada eschews the treaty by legalizing marijuana, it could prompt other countries – including the United States – to do the same. It would appear it was the three million Canadians who chose to sit out the 2011 election who were the biggest reason behind the increase to the Liberals vote total. “We will build a renewed relationship with indigenous peoples on a nation-to-nation basis”, Trudeau said per The Guardian.