VIDEO: Justin Trudeau channels Mr Dressup

Who was "Mr Dressup"? Most Canucks who were kids in the 70s and 80s will remember the TV show of that name, which ran on the Canadian Broadcorping Castration from 1967 to 1996. The show was developed and produced by Daniel McCarthy, who later became the head of children's programming for CBC Television. It starred Ernie Coombs as the eponymous character.

Mr Dressup would lead children through a series of songs, stories, arts, crafts and imagination games, with the help of his puppet friends Casey and Finnegan, a child and a dog who lived in a tree house in Mr Dressup's backyard. Some critics likened the series to the American series, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. In fact, that show started being broadcast on PBS a year later, in 1968. And it was produced by Ernie Coombs' old professional associate, Fred Rogers. So you have to give Canucks the credit [or blame. Ed.] for the genre.

But I digress. Part of Mr Dressup's shtick was to dress up (geddit?) in different costumes, according to the theme of the episode. Those who thought that was entertaining and clever mourned the loss of Mr Dressup, but were pleasantly surprised (apparently) when the character was reborn in 2013 as Just In Trudeau, who went on to become Prime Minister of Canada.

"Mr Socks" became famous ["infamous", shurely. Ed.] last year for dressing up as an Indian (not native American -- the other kind) to impress the folks in Mumbai when he went there to recruit more immigrants and potential Liberal voters. During the recent federal election campaign, whistleblowers leaked photos of M Trudeau wearing brownface and blackface at costume parties and, errr, other events. It is said he put a banana in his pants as part of his blackface get-up.

So it would seem that being a latterday Mr Dressup is all part of Mr Socks' plan for winning the hearts and minds of not just Canadians but but also whatever audience he happens to be addressing. A clever Canuck cartoonist who posts on YouTube as "Mountain Bear" has captured the essence of Just In and his charisma in this short but pithy video. Enjoy!