Trudeau’s travails

Pushed to the wall by growing discontent over his leadership, Justin Trudeau has chosen to step down as Canada’s PM and the head of the ruling Liberal Party. Having lost the confidence of party members as well as voters, he has rightly decided not to run for a historic fourth term. The news has surely brought a smile to the faces of Indian mandarins, in the light of Trudeau’s undiplomatic statements, especially over the last year, even though no serving diplomat will publicly acknowledge the joy. Driven by vote bank politics, he raised New Delhi’s hackles over the Hardeep Singh Nijjar murder case. He antagonised an old ally that has been contributing significantly to Canadian economy through its students and skilled workers. New Delhi will be hoping that his exit will help the two democracies press the reset button.

However, Trudeau’s absence may not be enough to boost the Liberals’ prospects vis-à-vis the Conservatives in the national elections, which are due in late October. At the helm for almost a decade, the Liberals are battling strong anti-incumbency. It’s laudable that the embattled PM has taken this tough decision well before the elections, unlike his counterpart from across the border, US President Joe Biden, who had to abandon his re-election dream midway through his turbulent campaign. Trudeau has not only tried to control the damage caused to his party by his unpopularity but also spared himself the ignominy of a potential poll defeat. He also won’t have to deal in the long run with Biden’s successor Donald Trump, who has ridiculed Trudeau by calling him the ‘governor’ of the 51st US state.

Trudeau did well to prioritise public health during the Covid-19 pandemic, but he faltered as the cost of living escalated and economic growth slowed down. After having taken a stand in favour of immigration, he did a climbdown on the divisive issue amid housing and social service challenges. Trudeau’s successor won’t find it easy to turn the tide.