Over 70% of Canadians want Justin Trudeau out

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
1 Dec 2023 12:34
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This signifies a 12% increase from a poll conducted in just September.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers his remarks during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Canada Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023 (AP)

A recent poll determined that over 70% of Canadians want PM Justin Trudeau to step down, signifying a 12% increase from a poll carried out in just September.

Even within the Liberal Party voter base, a third called for his resignation, marking a 5 percentage point increase since September.

In contrast to Trudeau, the leaders of the Conservative Party, the New Democratic Party, and the Bloc Quebecois continue to enjoy majority support from Canadians, with 56%, 51%, and 67% expressing a desire for them to remain in their roles, respectively.

The survey also delved into the willingness of Canadians to vote for the Liberal Party under different leadership scenarios. If Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland assumed leadership, a quarter of Canadians would consider voting for the Liberals.

Similarly, 21% would support the ruling party if Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly took the helm.

Trudeau: PM, clown, arrogant, weak

Trudeau has been a point of criticism among Canadians on several occasions.

In September 2022, a poll revealed that 49% of respondents thought the prime minister was "arrogant". 39% of respondents said they thought Trudeau was "corrupt", while another 45% said they thought he was "dishonest".

Additionally, 37% of people surveyed believed Trudeau was charismatic, while 36% said he was weak.

Early in October of this year, the leader of Canada's parliamentary opposition, Pierre Poilievre, described Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a "clown" following the invitation of a former Nazi Ukrainian soldier to Canada's parliament.

"The prime minister is seen as a clown on the world stage. But whether you blame him or the Liberal Speaker [Anthony Rota, announced resignation on Tuesday] for recognizing a Nazi on the floor of the House of Commons, we all agree that it took him five days - five days - [to apologize] while he hid under a rock and let our reputation be torn to tatters," Poilievre told the Canadian parliament on Thursday.

In August, Trudeau's approval ratings have hit an all-time low. Additionally, his government is facing potential scrutiny over how it handled alleged Chinese government interference in the previous election.

Moreover, his administration has been heavily criticized for contributing to inflation and failing to effectively address soaring housing prices. A recent cabinet shuffle aimed at rejuvenating his leadership did little to improve his standing, as per a report by The Wall Street Journal.

According to a recent poll by Ottawa-based Abacus Data, half of Canadians are calling for a new government, while only 19% still support Trudeau. This is a dangerously low level of backing for a leader of a minority government relying on a coalition agreement with another party.

“He’s getting pounded on a regular basis,” said Duane Bratt, a political science professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, as quoted by WSJ.