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CHAMPION | Thursday, January 19 2017 | 6 % Sm ready for Trump When Justin Trudeau deftly shuffled his federal cabinet deck last week it was mainly because Donald Trump has changed the rules of the political card game. Just a year into his mandate, Canada‘s prime minister would normally have been expected to tinker with the government‘s executive branch, promoting the rising stars and sidelining the duds. But it was the unexpected that drove a more profound cabinet overhaul â€" Trump‘s election as the next presiâ€" dent of the United States, Canada‘s closest neighbour, trading partner and ally. : After being sworn in as leader of the Free World tomorâ€" row (January 20), Trump has promised to shake up not just the Free World but the entire planet. Ripping up the North American Free Trade Agreement â€" to which Canada belongs â€" and dragging the Unitâ€" ed States out of the Transâ€"Pacific Partnership and the Paris accord on climate change â€" two initiatives Canâ€" ada supports â€" would just be the start for the Trump wrecking ball. Tweaking the tail of the Chinese dragon while hectorâ€" ing America‘s NATO allies, of which Canada is one, to boost their military budgets â€" these also figure high on Trump‘s troubling list of priorities. Trudeau‘s response to these challenges has been timeâ€" ly, nimble and wise. It was also necessary. After excelling as Canada: international trade minisâ€" ter, particularly by clearing the lastâ€"minute obstacies to Canada‘s free trade deal with the European Union, Chrystia Freeland takes over as Trudeau‘s new foreign affairs minister. This was an excellent choice because the author and journalist is more politically adroit than the man she replaces â€" Stéphane Dion. While Canadians should always be grateful to him for taming Quebec‘s separatist movement in the 19905, the cerebral, academic and somewhat aloof Dion lacked the diplomatic skills possessed by Freeland, skills that will be essential for countering the threats posed by Trump and Putin. Yet Trudeau‘s cabinet changes responded to internal as well as external problems. In just a few months marred by spectacular missteps, Maryam Monsef showed she was unsuited to be minister of democratic institutions. The way she lashed out against the allâ€"party commitâ€" tee on electoral reform was embarrassing as well as reprehensible. It was her failure either to advance or abandon the cause of electoral reform, however, that made her position untenable. Canadians will hope her replacement can do better. But considering that replacement is the unproven Burâ€" lington rookie MP Karina Gould â€" at 29, the youngest female cabinet minister in Canadian history â€" those hopes may go unfulfilied. Trudeau‘s goal of having a diverse and inclusive cabiâ€" net is laudable. But ability should also be one of a minister‘s qualifications, especially when at stake is one of Trudeau‘s greatest promises â€" a new way of electing MPs. com| MIRTON CANADIAN insidehaiton WWW. GOING SQUIRRELY: A red squirrel took up residence in a nesting box on the roof of + Champion reader Jill Bailey‘s Milton home last spring. Roughly eight weeks later, cute little red baby squirrels made their appearance. Do you have a unique, interesting, fun or cute photo taken in Milton that you would like to submit to be considered for Snapshot? Send submissions (minimum 600 KB resolution) to editor@miltoncanadianchampion.com or use the hashtag #MiltonChampion on Instagram. Please include the name of the photo grapher (for publication) and a description of the photo including the location where it was taken. kindness and generosity Have you ever lost something that meant a lot to you? | have and it‘s the worst feeling. Your heart drops to your _ stomach and panic quickâ€" ly sets in. When local resiâ€" dent Maria Goze emailed the _ Catherine O‘Hara Champion exâ€" Managing Editor plaining that her 11â€"yearâ€"old son Julian had lost his Christmas money at Walmart, I was empathetic. It would appear Champion readers were, too. On January 5, we published Maria‘s letter. It outlined the circumstances by which $260 vanished from the Milton boy‘s posâ€" session â€" money Julian had hoped to spend on a new pair of shoes and pants. The following day, I received a call from a reader who wanted to offer Julian $260. An hour or so later, | received a second call, and shortly thereafter a third. The Champion got to work coâ€"ordinating the donations and presented Maria and her son with the community‘s generous contributions last week. Julian didn‘t know about the letter pubâ€" lished in the paper. He was also in the dark about the community‘s goodwill. So, when he and his mom turned out to the Champion office last Friday to pick up an envelope containing a whopping $400, I filled him in on the details. Julian, surprised as can be by his mom‘s initiative and the community‘s response to the letter, was at a loss for words. But the look on this 11â€"yearâ€"old boy‘s face said it all. "Thank you," he eventually said to me afâ€" ter accepting the envelope. "Thank you," he said again before leaning in for a hug. It was a touching moment, one that wouldn‘t have been made possible withâ€" out you â€" our readers. To the kind, thoughtful and generous souls who helped to make this young boy‘s day, thank you. Your kindheartedâ€" ness helped make my day, too! insidehaliton.com Champion. 555 Industrial Drive, Milton, Ont. L9T 5E 1 905â€"878â€"2341 Advertising Fax: 905â€"876â€" 2364 Classified: 905â€"875â€"3300 Circulation: 905â€"878â€"5947 www.miltoncanadianchampion.com TON VP â€" Group Publisher Nell Oliver Regional General Manager Kelly Montague Director of Advertising Danie! Baird Managing Editor Production Manager Circulation Director Charlene Halil Office Manager Lorl Ann Gvozdanovic every Thursday, is a division of Metroland Media Group Ltd. Ad.v'unmg is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonabie allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. 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