Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers a statement in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, on Monday, September 18, 2023. AP/PTI)
Sandeep Dikshit
New Delhi, September 19
Did his plummeting popularity and tough living conditions in Canada forced its Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie to stress the “sovereignty” issue on India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing in Surrey, British Columbia, in June.
Anecdotal as well as study-based evidence points to Trudeau facing substantial headwinds. “It is pretty bad here. Inflation is very high and groceries, homes and car loans are very expensive. We have been paying our home loan for a year and a half...but the principal right now is five times more than what we borrowed. You save nothing,” said a recently migrated Indian-origin Canadian.
Referring to several videos showing drug abuse and homelessness in Canada she, however, felt the situation is not so dire. “The Indian media also loves to show Canada in a bad light actually when their own government is not amazing either,” she added.
“Yes, the drugs are there but it is not huge and limited to mostly downtown areas of towns. Likewise, homelessness is there but has increased after Covid,” said a former Ranji cricketer who has also moved to Canada.
The deteriorating living conditions and inability of Trudeau to come to grips with the inflation rate may persuade many youngsters to opt for the Conservatives, says a survey by Abacus Data.
Angus Reid Institute puts Trudeau’s approval rating at 33 per cent and disapproval rating of 63 per cent. Trudeau is now having to contend with the rising popularity of Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre who could lead his party to victory in the next elections. “This is what is making Trudeau and Jolie wave the flag,” said a former diplomat who had served in Canada.
There is also rising resentment against the continuing flood of new arrivals who are “overheating” the economy, forcing Trudeau to take strange measures such as passing the ‘Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act’ earlier this year.
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