Ottawa

Pope Francis and Justin Trudeau rise to the top

Tease the day: The new pope and the presumptive Liberal leader face enormous expectations

Newly elected Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica after being elected by the conclave of cardinals, at the Vatican, March 13, 2013.

We’re all waking up to the coronation, so to speak, of two men this morning: Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who was elected Pope Francis by his peers in the Sistine Chapel; and Justin Trudeau, who’s all but won the leadership of the Liberal Party now that a main rival has dropped out of the race. On the other side of the same news stories are two men, both named Marc: Ouellet, the Canadian cardinal who was thought to be a contender for the papacy; and Garneau, who was at least a serious alternative to Trudeau’s candidacy.

Jorge and Justin have oodles of eyes now watching their every move (nothing new for Trudeau, to be sure). As for Marc and Marc, they face disappointment and relief. In Ouellet’s case, a hometown cheered on its favourite son in a losing cause while Ouellet’s own family breathed easy knowing they wouldn’t lose him to the Vatican. In Garneau’s case, there’s more disappointment than relief: he’d campaigned hard as the perceived alternative to the popular Trudeau. But at least the pressure’s off.

A man formerly named Jorge is now instantly famous. A man named Justin already was, at least in his own country. And two men named Marc remain household names, probably for the rest of their lives. Not a bad consolation.


What’s above the fold this morning?

The Globe and Mail leads with the election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio—or, as he’s now known, Pope Francis—as the new pontiff. The National Post fronts the election of Pope Francis, the cardinal “no one expected” to win. The Toronto Star goes above the fold with Francis as a pope who “fills reformers with hope.” The Ottawa Citizen leads with Francis, the first pope from the Americas. iPolitics fronts the NDP’s suggestion that Conservatives could be doing more in Syria. CBC.ca leads with Pope Francis’ first full day on the job. National Newswatch showcases Greg Weston’s CBC column about the Liberal Party’s bickering in the lead-up to Justin Trudeau’s probable victory during the ongoing leadership race.


Stories that will be (mostly) missed

1. Rigged contracts. Senior bureaucrats involved in shady procurement practices at the Canada School of Public Service have been suspended in the wake of a damning report by the procurement ombudsman. 2. Paid-donor plasma. The federal government shouldn’t allow private clinics to pay donors for plasma, say a group of doctors worried about the privatization of Canada’s healthcare system.
3. Charbonneau commission. Quebec’s opposition parties are now backing a proposed extension of the ongoing inquiry investigating corruption in the province’s construction industry.
4. Tsunami cleanup. The Japanese government donated $1 million to Canada to contribute to efforts to clean up debris from the disastrous 2011 tsunami that washed up on B.C.’s coastline.

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