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Justin Trudeau’s rise and fall as a global progressive icon is representative of the crisis of liberalism in general. After being in power as Prime Minister of Canada for a nine-year tenure over three terms, Mr. Trudeau announced his resignation on January 6. He had risen as the central figure of Canadian politics in 2015, leading the Liberal Party to an impressive victory in the federal election but that turned out to be the peak of his popularity. Born a child of privilege and power — his father Pierre Elliott Trudeau was Prime Minister for 15 years — Mr. Trudeau had rhetoric that was music to the ears of the global liberal elite, but his sense of the country’s public mood has been poor. As his unhinged liberalism translated into unchecked policies of the federal government, Canadians turned against him and the Liberal Party collapsed into a low point in its history, with its popularity now barely touching 15%. His fiscal policy riled conservatives and moderates, and the generous immigration policy that he approved created a spurt in the population, straining housing, health care, employment opportunities and wages. His cultural liberalism was far off the centre of Canadian politics. When signs of discontent began to manifest as public protest and criticism, he resorted to strong arm state measures and dismissed his critics.
Mr. Trudeau said he hoped his exit would arrest the decline of the Liberal Party but that sounds overly optimistic. But a post-Trudeau Canada may be able to mend its ties with key partners including the United States and India. It might be months before the Liberal Party manages to install his successor or its minority government falls and a fresh election is held. The Conservative Party led by Pierre Poilievre is on an upswing and appears headed for a landslide victory, whenever elections are held, unless there is yet another turnaround in public mood. Mr. Trudeau’s successor may help rescue Canada-India ties. Mr. Trudeau’s compulsions to pander to Sikh extremists in Canada led to bizarre situations during his tenure. By escalating tensions with India on suspicion of Indian agents being involved in the murder of a Khalistani activist in Canada, Mr. Trudeau showed poor statesmanship and diplomacy. In being publicly judgmental and dismissive of Donald Trump in the run-up to the elections in the United States, Mr. Trudeau acted unwisely. He was ushered in with wide fanfare in 2015, but nobody seems to cry over this exit.
Published – January 08, 2025 12:10 am IST
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Wayward liberal: On Justin Trudeau
