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Who is the is the real Doug Ford? Is it the smiling man walking beside Premier of Alberta Danielle Smith into the meeting of the Premiers with the PM intoning “love is in the air”(!) or the inept initiator of the Green Belt scandal which sold protected land to his developer friends – for which he apologized while reversing the order?

The last weeks have shown that there are a few leaders who can stand up to Trump’s destructive world views. One leader with huge international clout and the other who is important to the survival of Canada. There is also a rejuvenated Cabinet in Ottawa that will hopefully lead the defense and rebuilding of Canada.

I’ve seen a lot of Mark Carneys in the last few weeks and the very fact that he is not your typical pumped up politician has made him more and more likeable and trusted by me and apparently enough Canadians to position him to win the election.

Trump has upended decades of globalization and efforts to have freer trade among nations worldwide, slamming dozens of “friendly countries" with major tariffs of goods destined for the US. Canadian goods under the USMCA are exempted, but hugely damaging tariffs on Canada-made cars, aluminum and steel remain.

Two speeches, barely a week apart, show a contrast in impact between the outgoing and incoming PM. Mark Carney’s lackluster acceptance speech, following his landslide victory in the Liberal leadership race, contrasts with probably one of the best speeches Justin Trudeau has ever given.

I was Canada’s PR guy at our Washington Embassy during the Reagan years. In doing my rounds with media and influential think tanks, I soon realized the frightening lack of knowledge that even well-educated Americans had of Canada. We also knew that Canada was well behind countries like Sweden in profile in the capital of the world. Our ambassador - Alan Gotlieb - was determined to change that. Our first strategy for putting Canada on the map was to host parties at the Gotlieb residence which would be must-attends by the elite of Washington.

The Liberals liked to tell us that the problems they have are not with the wonderful programs they have delivered for Canadians but that they had been unable to communicate them effectively. What if the real problem was the communicator-in-chief, Justin Trudeau, ever more repetitive and tightly scripted, was simply not connecting with the public anymore? In fact, he’s been alienating them?

Most Ottawa watchers have thrown up their arms in disgust with the all too obvious leadership mismanagement in the appalling chaos of the last few days: the dismissal of one of Canada’s most respected Ministers and deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland over basic disagreement over economic policy, then her resignation. The shameless offer of the Finance post to Mark Carney – obviously turned down. Then her very damaging resignation letter the day she was supposed to unveil her economic update. And an invisible Prime Minister now considering his future with his caucus support imploding. His future is now the issue, as parliament adjourns with the government’s future in severe jeopardy.

Let’s get real. Indeed, most agree that Trudeau’s taking up Trump’s invite to a Friday dinner invite to Mar a Lago made during his Monday phone call with the incoming President was a coup. It made Poilievre’s day-after nasty criticisms seem foolish. This is certain: there is no world leader that does not envy Justin and his gang spending over three hours at dinner with the incoming president and a few appointed heavies. Only weeks before his inauguration.