Liberal leadership candidate Justin Trudeau blames a negative political climate for low voter turnouts in recent elections.Interviewed by Toronto Star publisher John Cruickshank at Toronto’s Royal York Hotel on Wednesday, Trudeau took aim at those who would be his opponents if he wins the leadership race and assailed Prime Minister Stephen Harper and NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair for what he called divisive politics.
“Yes there are a lot of fault lines we can play up to divide this country but for me it’s much more interesting to look for those common values that define Canadian identity,” he told a sold-out crowd of more than 500 at a lunch hosted by the Empire Club of Canada.
In a wide-ranging interview the candidate outlined his views on everything from environmental policy to voter apathy among youth.
“Young people get a bad rap sometimes for being overly cynical or apathetic, but the reality is . . . there is a generation of young people who are more informed, more aware, more conscious of what’s going on around big issues in the world around them than any previous generation,” he said.
He blamed their lack of engagement on frustration with the political climate, pledging to run a positive campaign.
Trudeau spent the morning campaigning in Toronto, paying a visit to Ryerson University’s Digital Media Zone, where Soapbox, a piece of software used by his campaign team, is developed.
The party is holding a “showcase” event April 6 in Toronto where the six remaining candidates will get their last chance to appeal to 127,000 Liberal party members and supporters registered to vote.
Following the showcase there will be a week of voting online and by phone. The results will be announced in Ottawa on April 14.
Original Article
Source: thestar.com
Author: Tim Alamenciak
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