(Corrects paragraph 3 to show that Trudeau is the father of
three, not two. Corrects paragraph 7 to show that all the
members of Trudeau's inner circle are in their 30s or 40s, not
just in their 40s)
* Justin seeks to follow in father Pierre's footsteps
* Advisers urged to be more aggressive ahead of Oct. 19 vote
By David Ljunggren and Allison Lampert
OTTAWA/MONTREAL, July 29 (Reuters) - Justin Trudeau, the man
who was supposed to lead Canada's Liberals out of the political
wilderness, has instead sunk to third place just months from an
election, with some in his party complaining he is missing in
action.
Born to a sitting prime minister and raised at the foot of
power, he presents himself as a kinder, more approachable
alternative to Prime Minister Stephen Harper after nine years of
rule by the right-leaning Conservatives and three straight
Liberal defeats.
But more than two years into his leadership of the
once-powerful centrist Liberals, the 43-year-old father of three
has struggled to define himself and been labeled by opponents as
unready for office despite his prized political pedigree.
Some critics complain Trudeau, son of the late Pierre
Trudeau, appears unwilling to go on the road and repeat his
message enough times for it to sink in before the Oct. 19 vote.
Former Liberal legislator Dennis Mills, who worked for
Trudeau's father - prime minister for 15 years ending in 1984 -
took aim at Trudeau's team, saying his handlers needed to be
more aggressive.
"All these photo ops are nice, but I think we haven't really
seen the inner strength and the passion of the man, and that's
because he hasn't been in a situation where that's been allowed
to come out," Mills said.
Trudeau's inner circle includes strategist Gerald Butts,
campaign co-chair Katie Telford, and Liberal House Leader
Dominic LeBlanc. All are in their 30s or 40s.
Asked to respond to the criticisms of his handlers,
Trudeau's chief spokeswoman said he and his team "have a clear
vision and plan for a better government, not just a different
government, and on how we get there."
Trudeau's handlers have previously denied he is keeping a
low-profile, noting a series of appearances across Canada.
But opinion polls consistently put the Liberals in third
place behind the left-leaning New Democratic Party and Harper's
Conservatives, making Trudeau a potential kingmaker if a split
vote results in a minority government.
Trudeau, a former teacher and one-time snowboard instructor,
burst on the public scene with an emotional televised eulogy at
the 2000 funeral of his father. He entered parliament in 2008
and enjoyed a commanding poll lead for the first 18 months after
he assumed the party leadership in 2013.
NICE HAIR, THOUGH
Conservatives have seized on Trudeau's perceived lack of
substance, broadcasting a recent advertisement that depicts him
as a job applicant who includes his photo with his resume and
has a celebrity following, but "has some growing up to do."
The ad closes with a pitch-perfect: "Nice hair, though."
Some Liberals privately say attacks like this have worked.
A string of verbal blunders by Trudeau, including jokes
about the federal budget and air strikes on Islamic State, both
of which backfired, may argue for the short leash.
"The serial gaffes were the worst. They helped bolster the
view - now widely held - that Trudeau just wasn't ready," said
Warren Kinsella, a pundit and former Liberal strategist, adding
that poor handling and "a barf bag of policy" were all to blame.
But many Liberals argue it is too early to despair. An
unusually long campaign is expected and the Liberals plan their
own advertising blitz closer to the election. ID:nL1N1080Y3
"We're very much present on the ground," said Melanie Joly,
a Quebec Liberal who helped Trudeau during his leadership
campaign. "(He has been) rebuilding the Liberal party from its
base, making sure that we have a very strong organization on the
field."
Friends suggest people are underestimating Trudeau, and say
his upbringing in a political fishbowl created a man who
performs under pressure.
Marc Miller, 42, a Liberal candidate in Montreal who went to
high school with Trudeau, said classmates and even a teacher at
their prestigious private school used to challenge Trudeau as a
proxy for his famous - and controversial - father.
"He's fine with being underestimated," Miller said. "He'd
prefer that. He likes a challenge."
Another Quebec Liberal candidate said the underdog position
will pay off when campaign debates begin in August.
"Justin has a big advantage," the candidate said. "All he
has to do is remain standing and he is exceeding expectations."
(With additional reporting by Randall Palmer in Ottawa and
writing by Andrea Hopkins in Toronto; Editing by Howard Goller)