When reading Janice Fiamengo’s damning expose of Justine’s emotional makeup, I recalled the remarks made by Douglas Murray in an interview conducted in February by Rita Panahi of Sky News. Ranahi described Trudeau and NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as “vacuous imposters” who display “performative caring”. Murray said that while empathy is an important attribute in leaders, it is not more important than competing traits like competence. And the idea that “empathy makes them better leaders”, is as he concludes, “an absolute crock.”

Considering the devastating consequences of Ardern’s hardline lockdown protocol and Trudeau’s callous refusal to dialogue with the truckers---and the vindictive incarceration of their leaders--- Murray pointed out that “even on their own terms”, these ‘empaths’ haven’t demonstrated the empathy they claim to be abundantly endowed with.

Whether Trudeau’s effusive tears and ostentatious warmth is genuine or not, the lesson of contemporary politics, I think, is that one must simulate empathy whether you have it or not. The most important thing in political life is sincerity. Once you can fake that, you’ve got it made.

Tim Murray