Justin Trudeau updates: Canadian Prime Minister set to resign
Justin Trudeau updates: Canadian Prime Minister set to resign
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to announce his resignation today, according to multiple reports. Follow Newsweek's live blog for updates.
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As a non-Canadian, what exactly did this guy do to become so unpopular? You don't need to write an essay, just some bullet points or something.
There has been quite a bit, but some notable stuff:
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Was elected on the promise of reforming the electoral system. He immediately betrayed that promise once elected
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Awarded a huge government contract to a charity run by friends of his (WE Charity)
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Pressured his ex justice minister to intervene in a criminal case against a Quebec construction company (SNC Lavalin)
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Bought a crude oil pipeline for $5 billion
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Was caught lying about having done blackface at parties in the past
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His deputy Prime minister just resigned very abruptly and blamed it on him
Here's a more extensive list: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Justin_Trudeau_controversies
Relative contrast means a lot. So how does this compare to past conservative PMs and future prospects?
Additionally, what good has he done?
You see my concern is that a lot of this is inflated in the way righties against Biden stoke up scandals without looking at the elephant in the room.
There are people more informed than me to answer this, but here's my opinion.
Trudeau has been a lame but fairly middle of the road leader. Not actively destructive, but far from the progressive power house he sold himself as. His government has mostly been on auto pilot while the country has quickly deteriorated and cost of living has soared under his watch. The only positive programs that have been passed have been because of our 3rd biggest official party, the NDP, basically forcing their hand since the Liberals are a minority government.
Trudeau definitely sucks and the main reason people want him to step down is because the Liberals need an actual leader if they stand any chance of beating the Conservatives in the upcoming federal election. The current Conservative leader has basically been riding an anti-woke outrage train who claims to have all the answers while cozying up to big business and appealing to far right culture war ideologies.
There's also a very American style Trudeau hate movement in the past few years complete with FUCK TRUDEAU merchandise seen on heads, trucks, and houses. It's pretty cringe.
I appreciate the insight, thanks. Seems like a fair assessment and hearkens to frustrations with Biden who, while better than the opposition, is watered-down to the legitimate progressive economic populism that is needed to thwart rising fascist populism we're seeing everywhere.
This is exactly it. He's not outright evil or destructive in the way that the Conservatives are, but he's too firmly in the "Capitalism is the answer" camp to be able to offer meaningful solutions to our out of control cost of living crisis. As a result people keep getting poorer, and they turn to ideologues to fix their problems.
Ngl I'd give up my firstborn to have him instead of trump
He's not that bad of a leader but all the polling is showing that if he's the LPC's leadership pick we will have a deeply conservative government.
We could have done a lot worse than Trudeau but we also could have done a lot better - his government has generally been one of cautious inaction while the world has been going bonkers.
cautious inaction
Boy if that doesn't succinctly capture the tepid response to domestic and global turmoil.
Though it's kind of understandable. The disconnect between noble (enough) leaders trying to make a difference against immovable obstacles (big money, fascists, oligarchs, etc.) and their gullible poorly educated citizenry versus the snake-oil fox seeking to guard the Hen house by doling out empty promises would be amusing if the consequences weren't so dire.
Most laypeople who know no better will take empty promises and hollow truths over tough love and hard truths. Makes me think of the WV coal miners and Trump promising them clean coal while Hillary told them the unfortunate reality.
I think whoever the Libs do pick is going to be in an even worse position. At least Trudeau could score some points dealing with Trump.
If they wanted to do some good, they'd either disband completely, or merge into the NDP so the left/centre vote doesn't get split. They have no problem crying "Anything But Conservative" when they're the Anything, but I doubt they'll have the grace to do it when it's not to their benefit.
Sir, this is a Wendy's.
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Recently (since 2020), he's been blamed for a lot of things that are outside of his jurisdiction and are being done by (mostly conservative/right-wing) premiers (aka. governors?).
E.g...
- Healthcare funding
- Pandemic measures and lockdowns
- International student issues
- Housing
- Employment
- Eduction
In Ontario, these things have been mercilessly mismanaged by Doug Ford. Doug Ford pointed the finger at Trudeau and people are it up. No idea how we're this stupid, but we keep giving Ford a majority government and blaming Trudeau for Ford's problems here.
Before 2020, I wouldn't say Trudeau was ever really hated or unpopular, at least not universally. He was our "at least it's not the other guy" guy. But now the people who haven't been paying attention (and don't understand politics) are being mobilized by the far-right, and a lot of people think his first name starts with an F.
He made clear in his initial campaign that he would do electoral reform and implement proportional representation… until he was in and realized that First Past the Post would keep his party in power. He lost all support of the young and progressive voters.
until he was in and realized that First Past the Post would keep his party in power.
This part is untrue. The problem is that no one can even come close to agreeing on what actual system to change to. As the centrist party, First past the post is just about the worst style for the Liberals.
It is untrue, but your assessment is a little off. The issue is that any actual PR system would've been an unmitigated disaster for the Liberals, and they knew it, even worse than FPTP. So they had to find the one Non-FPTP system that most benefitted themselves, and bullheadedly push for only that system, effectively harpooning their own initiative.
Never forget there is a very active old-boy's network behind just about every major party. In much the same way as America, they decide what happens and what gets done.
Yup. Harper is pretty much pulling PeePee’s strings.
Had to know it when he got a job with Hellberta's gov't.
If PP wins we are gonna be so fucked. :(
I respectfully disagree. Proportional Representation would give the NDP a good chunk of the Liberal and Conservative seats, and then we could have a real coalition government!
Quick version: Being a centre (centre right) party, the liberals make nods to leftist ideas but don't actually change the laws because it's very expensive if you don't tax the rich. So everything stays status quo while they say it's going great.
On top of that, far right people hate Trudeau a lot.
Far right people hate almost everyone else a lot.
It's encoded in their DNA.
It's not really anything he did, more about things he didn't do. Such as address the housing problems, do anything substantial about wealth inequality, take a stand against genocide, revive Canada's economic competitiveness, rein in the oligopolies that run the country, stop climate change, balance the budget, end all disease and hunger worldwide, and bring about lasting world peace.
People just got tired of all the empty rhetoric, and have decided that what we need is a slightly more sarcastic and bitter form of empty rhetoric as the opposition offers.