Justin Trudeau is betting on the results of his Covid-19 administration to get his mandate renewed

Two years after the official end of his term, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decided, Sunday, August 15, to Call for new federal elections. He traveled with his family to Rideau Hall (Ottawa), the official residence of the Governor-General, representative of the British Crown, Mary Simon, to ask her to dissolve Parliament and summon Canadians to the polls. Voting will take place on September 20, after a rapid five-week campaign.

After his first full and complete victory in 2015, Justin Trudeau has been at the head of a liberal minority government since October 2019. Now, a candidate to succeed him for a third term, the prime minister on Sunday justified his approach with the democratic need for “Give Canadians a voice at this historic moment”, arguing that decisions made during the Covid-19 pandemic could not, by definition, have been discussed during previous elections. Adding that these arrivals, with reference to the creation of a possible federal health permit or economic stimulus measures associated with this crisis, ” It will determine the future in which your children and grandchildren will grow.” “Do you have anything to say?” Release.

This early election, which waited several weeks, was not a surprise. But all the opposition parties question the advisability of this. Because the announcement came just as Public Health Canada confirmed it on August 12 “The country has entered the fourth wave of Covid-19”. Justin Trudeau’s main rival, Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole, immediately responded by ruling “Irresponsible” The position of the Prime Minister in this context.

Building on the strength of favorable opinion polls – on August 14 the Leger Institute gave 35% of the vote to the Liberal Party to 30% to the Conservatives – Justin Trudeau hopes to cross the bar of 170 seats in the House of Commons – he currently has 155 – to regain a majority. Implementation of generous aid measures for citizens and businesses during the pandemic as well as the success of the vaccination campaign – 71% of 38 million Canadians have received the first dose, and 62% have been fully vaccinated – is working to its advantage. After announcing in April a C$101.4 billion (€68.7 billion) recovery plan, the prime minister also used the summer to continue to show extravagance, by promising to funnel billions of dollars in federal money to the provinces.

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