Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference at Rideau Hall after asking Governor General Mary Simon to dissolve Parliament in Ottawa, Canada.(Photo by DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Despite calling a snap election to give him a majority government, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may not be Canada’s leader for much longer. Trudeau dissolved parliament weeks ago to gain a majority government instead of continuing as a minority.
This decision recently brought ire from some of his party’s strategists as the wrong move, which could potentially backfire and be seen as “greedy” to voters. At a leadership debate on Thursday amid seeking poll numbers, Trudeau defended his decision to call an early election.
“Yes, we can work to do big things during a pandemic but we need a clear mandate, not just for a government but a parliament, to understand what Canadians want for the next years,” he stated. “I think we’d find ourselves having another election in 18 months if we only get a minority government.”
Canadians deserve a government with an ambitious plan #ForwardForEveryone #FaceaFaceTVA #cdnpoli @JustinTrudeau pic.twitter.com/AHJWNJv6lh
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 3, 2021
As a minority government, Trudeau has held more seats than any other party. However, he does not have the 170 needed to pass laws without other parties joining in.
Polling at the time of dissolution showed Trudeau’s Liberal Party, a center-left party, well ahead of all others. The polls have flipped though and now show the opposition conservatives ahead.
This may not be the worst result for Trudeau because at the last election in 2019, he lost the nationwide popular vote to the conservatives. Yet, he still received over 30 seats more than them.
Polls have not been the only sign of a potential sinking ship for Trudeau. At events all across Canada, the liberal drew in protestors in opposition to forced COVID-19 vaccinations, which has been a policy Trudeau hoped to make nationwide after it was rolled out in some provinces.
When you board a plane, you want to know that the people sitting around you are fully vaccinated. We’ll move forward with mandatory vaccines on planes, trains, and cruise ships to make sure you stay safe while you travel. #ForwardForEveryone pic.twitter.com/PxyZ2aPxmt
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 4, 2021
The 49-year-old is the first child of a former prime minister to also hold the position after his late father Pierre Trudeau won four terms. The younger Trudeau needs to pick up 15 seats to gain a majority, while the conservatives need over 50 to do the same.
Canadians go to the polls on September 20 to decide if Trudeau follows in his father’s footsteps or disappears to political irrelevance.
Source: One America News Network
