Being About Something

Earlier this week a former colleague of mine from the Hill "shared" with me via Facebook this clip of Justin Trudeau.

At the time, I noted that I found Trudeau's "theatrical, alliteration-laden monologues hard to connect with and more than a little cringe-worthy."

Here is what others had to say:

"I think there's something not quite right there...creepy" - Carolyn from Ottawa

"No substance there. yik." - Melissa from Toronto

Our discomfort aside, the bigger point is this: What is Justin Trudeau about? What does he stand for? What is he fighting for, really? Why should Canadians listen to him, and - more importantly - follow him?

Trudeau, Dominic Leblanc and other young Canadian political leaders are working overtime these days to steal pages from the Barack Obama political playbook. But while they appear to have read (perhaps over-read) the chapter on poetic oratory, it seems they may have missed the main point of his storied rise to power. What set Barack Obama and his campaign apart was not first and foremost his elegant speech giving, but rather the substance and meaning of what his candidacy and campaign was about. Obama was and is about something. Call it change. Call it hope. Call it unity. Call it what you will, but if you ask most Americans who voted for him they will tell you exactly what it was about Barack Obama that led them to cast a ballot in his favour. And this much is for certain: it was not his name. It was not his father's name, and, in most cases I would argue, it wasn't even his lyrical acumen.

Over the next few weeks, members of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario will be weighing the choice of a new leader for their party. And as the candidates work to secure the support of party members across the province, here's hoping they read the full Obama playbook, not just the chapter on crafting great stump texts. Here's hoping they focus first on answering the question that is really on the minds of Ontario PC party members: What are you about?

So, what do you think? What is it you look for in a leader? What (or who) do we need right now, leading our cities, our provinces and our country? What do the leaders we have today really stand for, and does that resonate with you?

Please share your thoughts.