With NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair comparing the oilsands to tar ponds and Justin Trudeau ready to take the Liberals back to the '60s, Prime Minister Stephen Harper should be good until, oh, 2023.

A stretch, perhaps. But not by much.

According to media reports, the son of Liberal god Pierre Trudeau will officially announce his leadership bid next Tuesday at a rally in his home riding of Papineau.

We may run out of bated breath.

Outside the Commons Wednesday, the son of Canada's most over-rated and historically-revised PM, the Shiny Pony, as Sun News Network refers to him mockingly, had his media fan club giggling like groupies at a Justin Bieber concert.

"I have nothing to announce," Trudeau told them. "Glad to see everyone in a good mood today."

All to great gushing, of course.

Now, if Justin Trudeau were even a modestly-deep thinker, he'd realize that someone like caucus colleague Marc Garneau, CC, CD, PhD, FCASI, former military commander, former astronaut (first Canadian in space, not once but three times), would be far better for the Liberal Party, and for Canada, than he could imagine.

Trudeau has been a school teacher while Garneau has actually had schools named after him.

It should be no contest.

Trudeau has charisma, but Garneau has cred.

And therein lies the difference that the Liberal Party will likely ignore again in its desperate search for its next star.

What it wants is sizzle, not steak.

Unlike Trudeau, however, Garneau has about as much sizzle as, oh, Stephen Harper.

And the Liberal Party, not wanting a match involving actual intelligence, leadership, and world experience, has been stroking Trudeau's ego since Michael Ignatieff's embarrassing return to academia.

Right now Trudeau was just playing it coy.

But, trust us, if Trudeau actually does throw his name into the ring as leader, he's been suckered by his party.

He's bought their bunk, all which only goes to illustrate his failings when it comes to cognitive intellect.

While his candidacy might resurrect some of the historic Liberal support in Quebec, the rest of Canada will look at him through the political sins of his father and mentor.

A storied name can cut two ways.