And it's over. It is hard to believe that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau survived a decade leading the Great White North. For the average individual, from the old-stock Canadians to the newly arrived immigrants, the experience of Trudeaunomics has been as disappointing as Target's short-lived tenure north of the US border. But while many households will look back at the last ten years by hanging their heads in shame and drowning in a bowl of poutine, the next few months do not look very promising with Prime Minister-designate Markey Carney sitting in Ottawa.
Justin Trudeau and His Not-so-Sunny Ways
When Justin Trudeau successfully toppled Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the 2015 election, he did so as a character out of a made-for-TV Hallmark movie: an affluent drama teacher rises to the highest office in the land on the back of his last name.
Trudeau’s path to the Prime Minister’s Office involved acting like a Care Bear, the opposite of the more mundane and grounded Harper. He promised the country “sunny ways.” He informed voters that “the budget will balance itself.” Appearing in front of an audience of women, he declared, with a smile on his face, his affinity for China’s “basic dictatorship.” These remarks should have been warning signs of what the Canadian people were about to embark upon.
In the subsequent elections, voters handed the Liberals an extension. Granted, the Conservatives put up two disappointing leaders: Andrew Scheer and Erin O’Toole. Still, the prime minister’s skeletons started sauntering out of the closet, from his blackface/brownface scandals to legal mishaps. Yet, Canadians were indifferent to these developments and may have deluded themselves that Trudeau and his Grits were the right choices for the country due to promises of and eventual implementation of a national dental care program and a boost to child benefits.
However, to quote the trope espoused by the political talking heads on cable news networks, the walls began closing in on Justin Trudeau. Why? As the old adage goes, “It’s the economy, eh.” Rocketing inflation, a crushing carbon tax, record food bank usage, out-of-control housing prices, a widening budget deficit, climbing unemployment, and mounting tax rates – the prime minister could not run from his abysmal economic record. While he tried to whitewash the stagnating economic landscape by growing the size of government through payrolls and handouts, these hallmarks of progressive governance failed to materialize prosperity. Instead, the Canadian economy has been teetering on the edge of a recession.
The optics quickly deteriorated amid internal strife in late 2024, prompting Trudeau to succumb to political pressure and submit his resignation letter.
According to Angus Reid, Trudeau will leave office with a 34% approval rating, a bump from the 22% during the holiday season, fueled by the US-led trade war. Additionally, 33% believe he failed at addressing the nation's biggest problems, and 22% think he "actively worsened the issues the country is facing." Nearly half (47%) of Canadians believe the prime minister will go down in history as a "poor" or "below average" leader.
In the end, it is fitting that one of the final Justin Trudeau public appearances was the prime minister crying (literally) about tariffs in front of the cameras. Of course, it is hard to show sympathy since this is what Canadians have done daily for the last ten years.
It’s Morning in Canada?
It is official: Trudeau's successor has been chosen. Mark Carney, the former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor, was overwhelmingly supported by 86% of Liberal Party members. This was baffling, considering that left-leaning voters continually lambast wealthy, straight, white males who come from the business sector. Meanwhile, his closest competitor was former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, potentially punished by party loyalists for throwing Trudeau under the bus.
So, will Carney differ from those who have been running things for the last decade? David Staples succinctly summarized Carney's economic ideas in the Edmonton Journal last month: "Trudeau's plan on steroids." The description works since he was a key advisor to the Trudeau regime.
Despite the Liberals championing and instituting the carbon tax, Carney has pledged to abolish the scheme immediately and replace it with targeted incentives and complementary investments. He has already tergiversated by calling out his Conservative opponent’s “axe the tax” catchphrase and stating that “the issue was how to change it.” The newly minted Liberal chief recently proposed a concept that balances one-half of the budget and then utilizes the other half to make green investments across the country.
In addition to emulating his predecessor with taxpayer-funded subsidies to favored clean energy private companies, Carney wants to expand the size and scope of the government. “My government is going to use all of the powers of the federal government, including the emergency powers of the federal government, to accelerate the major projects that we need in order to build this economy," he said in Kelowna, British Columbia, last month.
As for the fierce trade dispute, Carney described President Donald Trump's tariffs as the "greatest crisis of our lifetime." In his March 9 victory speech, Carney promised to keep applying pressure on the United States. "We did not ask for this fight. But Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves. Make no mistake, Canada will win," he said.
Fall Back or Spring Forward?
This year, the Canadian electorate will travel to the ballot box. Will voters participate in the democratic process in the spring or fall? Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has been consistent in his demands for an election as soon as possible. Polling trends have not been kind to the Tories as of late. When Trudeau announced his resignation, Poilievre and the Conservatives maintained an average of 45% support, which would be enough to form a majority government securely. As of March 5, the opposition’s support has fallen to 40% – a coin flip for whether the Conservatives will obtain the most seats. Poilievre will need to do what he does best: state the facts.
Nevertheless, the first Question Period in the House of Commons without Justin Trudeau will be entertaining. Forget the popcorn. Grab a Double-Double and a box of 20 Timbits.
