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All political parties are complex institutional blends of principled idealists who want to make the stated vision of government happen, naïve boosters who adore an image or brand, and calculating influence peddlers looking to maximize their and their friends’ advantage. And, because human beings are complicated, the same people exhibit certain degrees of each of these dimensions at various times.

Politics is a rough trade – and the electorate accepts this. But the degree to which the professional weasels have had free run of the major parties’ henhouses over the past quarter century has sickened voters. Wary of politicians who promise the moon on reform, only to give in or be overtaken by the weasels in their midst, many of us have tuned out completely. Those of us who remain committed supporters wonder how many more times we can get fooled.

I don’t know Justin Trudeau personally, but, as one of his former nomination contestants and someone who tries to push the public interest as an academic and part-time investigative journalist, I have started with hope and have put my chips in. I suspect I am much like many Canadians who are on the verge of handing Trudeau a minority mandate: we are hoping for the best, but there is a certain wariness about handing over the keys for four inalterable years: Are we going to get Trudeau the democrat and small l-liberal champion? Or will we get an inexperienced enthusiast who gets pushed around by his own people through either naiveté or lack of mettle? Could this charismatic new face turn out to be a Trojan horse for the old guard of party-insiders and hacks looking for a return to the days when they were able to use the party as a vehicle for their own interests?