Trade, procurement and Kevin O’Leary: three ways politics mattered this week
OTTAWA — Politics groupies suddenly found themselves this week discussing the pros and cons of cupping, of all things, after the prime minister popped up on a podcast with telltale purple circles on his forearms.
Cupping, just FYI, is an alternative therapy that involves placing suction cups on the skin to draw blood to the surface. Made famous by swimmer Michael Phelps among others. And yes, Justin Trudeau is a fan.
And water coolers across the capital also overheard many a conversation about Trudeau’s admission that his father used his connections to help his brother Michel deal with a minor marijuana charge: was it a smart move to show empathy with youth? Or a sign of privilege blinding the prime minister to the need for an amnesty for small pot infractions?
But chatter about cupping and privilege quickly took a back seat to far more serious matters as the week progressed. Long-standing assumptions about Canada-U.S. trade, the country’s military procurement system and the Conservative leadership were challenged to the core. Here are three ways federal politics touched Canadians this week: