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Federalism-E Federalism-E Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: Transformational Leadership in the Federal Government By: Demyan Plakhov Western University Political Science Federalism-E is founded by the Royal Military College of Canada and the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at Queen’s University Federalism-E Vol. 19, No.1 (2018) Federalism-E is an online, undergraduate student-run journal focusing on the theory of federalism. Federalism-E publishes academic articles and essays focusing on federalism, multi-level governance, and intergovernmental relations. Publishing in both English and French, the journal has a mandate to provide a forum encouraging research and scholarly debate with respect to a wide variety of issues concerning federalism, both within Canada and abroad. Editors-in-Chief Officer Cadet Melissa Thérèse Sanfaçon, Royal Military College of Canada Officer Cadet Derek van der Velden, Royal Military College of Canada Associate Editors: Alex Howkins, Dalhousie University Officer Cadet Cameron Moors, Royal Military College of Canada Erin McEntee, Dalhousie University Officer Cadet Jake Herrmann, Royal Military College of Canada Lauren Bech-Hansen, Dalhousie University Noah Fry, Mount Allison University Faculty Advisor: Dr. Christian Leuprecht, Royal Military College of Canada, Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at Queen’s University Contact Information: Address: Royal Military College of Canada 13 General Crerar Crescent Kingston ON, K7K 7B4 Email: [email protected] Website: https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/fede Federalism-E is founded by the Royal Military College of Canada and the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at Queen’s University Federalism-E Vol. 19, No.1 (2018) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Transformational Leadership 1 Introduction Prime Minister Justin Trudeau entered the national political arena with a message of change and hope, attracting a grand amount of Canadian voters. Trudeau’s energized election campaign was led on the basis of change and stronger leadership that will move Canada forward. With two years in the Prime Ministerial seat, Trudeau made good on some of his promises and produced a global Trudeaumania phenomenon due to his leadership. Moreover, it could be said that his effectiveness in some areas derives from how well his leadership typology parallels his leadership message and goals. It is important to note, that Trudeau’s leadership should be accredited to his own individual agency as a leader as well as his team of advisors, supporters, and aids that helped form and maintain this type of federal leadership. In determining Trudeau’s leadership typology in a bipartite paradigm of transactionalism and transformationalism, it is important to establish the proper definitions of both categories due to the multiple interpretations available in leadership literature. Although several interpretations may be pointed out, James MacGregor Burns’ outline of transformational and transactional typologies will be most effective for the use of this essay, due to its simplicity and popular use. Burns, as written in Leadership (1978), dictates that a transformational leader, most importantly, works with subordinates to identify needed change and implements the change by collaborating with members of their group. Burns also specifies that an another key determinant of transformational leadership is the leader’s ability to meet their followers initial needs and to mobilize them through the use of higher morale and motivation. In contrast, a transactional leader will Federalism-E is founded by the Royal Military College of Canada and the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at Queen’s University Federalism-E Vol. 19, No.1 (2018) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Transformational Leadership 2 accentuate managerial leadership by focusing on supervision and promoting compliance through rewards or punishments. Likewise, Jean Blondel noted the significance of evaluating leaders through an analytical framework, such as this bipartite paradigm, and to stray away from more normative examinations of good and bad. Following Blondel’s reasoning, Trudeau’s case will not be assessed based on good or right leadership. Furthermore, in parallel to what Blondel pointed out in Political Leadership, “The reality is different, because it is complex. There are many types and ‘grades’ of leadership,” Trudeau’s case is complex as well. Although this leadership may not be an exact example of transformational typology, this paper will argue that the present evidence will categorize Trudeau’s federal leadership as transformational through the lens of a bipartite paradigm. His grade of transformational leadership, and whether his typology of leadership is successful or not, is a subject for additional debate. In understanding the complexities of these concepts as presented by Burns and Blondel, the evidence presented in this paper will help depict the categorization of Trudeau’s federal leadership as transformational in several key areas. Trudeau’s federal leadership effectively and consistently delegates partial responsibilities to various cabinet ministers and advisers. By doing so, Trudeau is able to bring change with the help of his inner political team and to parallel the interests of his followers. Moreover, Trudeau’s public messages exemplify his will to work with the people and to motivate others, Canadian citizens and world leaders included, in collaborating for higher moral standing. In addition, Trudeau individual charisma is also a key indicator of transformational Federalism-E is founded by the Royal Military College of Canada and the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at Queen’s University Federalism-E Vol. 19, No.1 (2018) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Transformational Leadership 3 leadership, as Peter Northouse, Robert House, and Bernard Bass would indicate. For those in agreement with this theory, Trudeau’s charismatic features will prove to be a by- product of transformational leadership. Therefore, by examining available contemporary evidence in these key areas, this essay will argue that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s federal leadership classifies more as transformational rather than transactional. Working with Subordinates Trudeau’s leadership attempts to bring change with the help of his group members and to parallel the interests of his followers by collaborating with subordinates. There are many instances that can prove this phenomenon, including his appointment of Oxford- educated Randy Boissonnault to special-adviser on LGBTQ2 issues, creating the Prime Minister’s Youth Council, executing several cabinet retreats, collaborating with his security adviser in light of releasing a Canadian pastor from North Korea, and the multi- layered collaboration on NAFTA negotiations. 1. Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Not only is Trudeau the Prime Minister, he is also the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth. The role of the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs is to facilitate the relations between the federal and provincial governments of Canada, and also well- known by its epithet, “unity minister”. As the first Prime Minister to take on this role, Trudeau shows his dedication of prioritizing collaboration with his subordinate political elite, beyond the federal level, to make good on his campaign promises. In this role, more specifically, Trudeau must constantly ensure that relations between other domestic Federalism-E is founded by the Royal Military College of Canada and the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at Queen’s University Federalism-E Vol. 19, No.1 (2018) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Transformational Leadership 4 governments are coordinated to address major concerns and to achieve the goals his leadership has set out. Since Canada has not formally entrenched intergovernmental mechanisms in the Constitution, Trudeau is solemnly responsible for establishing effective partnership and mechanisms with his subordinates. An example of Trudeau’s work as the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs can be observed from the First Ministers’ Conferences (FMC or FMM). During these FMCs, Trudeau brings together Canada’s most senior political leaders on an ad hoc request, as it is only for the Minister to decide whether or not to hold these conferences. Consequently, Trudeau has utilized this position to exemplify a transformational leadership style by working with Provincial and Territorial political leaders, providing a chance for governments to determine shared interests and coordinate policy directions covering a variety of issues. These FMCs have grown to encompass an increasing amount of councils of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers’ councils, as well as specialized interest groups with the intention of progressing collaboration in specific sectors, including agriculture, education, environment, finance, health, internal trade, sport, tourism and transport. Furthermore, these conferences some time even result in Federal-Provincial/Territorial agreements (FPAs) to solidify certain action, and in recent time, these agreements have increased in number. As of recently, Trudeau sat down with premiers to converse on the subjects of marijuana legalization and tax reform as his future policy agenda. By doing so, Trudeau will able to work with Provincial leaders to carry out legal policies concerning the price of marijuana, health standards, retail infrastructure and other procedurals methods to create effective policies and implementations.
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