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The Trudeau decade, from glory to weariness

Victor Elinzondo gives a summary of Justin Trudeau's tenure as Canada's Prime Minister, arguing that he clung to power for far too long, and became increasingly vulnerable as a result
Image: Hailey Sani
Image: Hailey Sani

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After almost 10 years in power, Justin Trudeau’s government is coming to an end. The Canadian leader, who was once one of the icons of global politics, is leaving the political scene extremely worn out. His career will be remembered for his overwhelming popularity and his persistent attempt to cling to power even in the most critical moments of his party. Trudeau was undoubtedly a political Icarus. His rise and fall as Prime Minister of Canada are captured along these lines.

Justin Trudeau comes from a political dynasty like no other. Being the son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (1968-1979 and 1980-1984), his entrance into the political arena in 2008 was not that of just another MP. But that of a political heir with a promising future in the Liberal Party. After his party’s resounding fall to third place in the 2011 general elections, the political force required an internal renewal carried out by a leader who balanced the innovative and the traditional, and Justin Trudeau did exactly that with the renewal of the party’s leadership in 2013. His then new way of doing politics earned him the attention of Canadians who in 2015 opted for a change after the nine years of government of Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party.

Trudeau’s rise to the post of Prime Minister opened a new chapter in Canadian politics. In his first years in power, he implemented progressive policies that earned him international recognition. Such was the case with the legalization of marijuana and the promotion of gender equality, also setting as an example the fact that his first cabinet was the most diverse in the history of his country.

Trudeau’s popularity, which could be compared to that of a pop icon, fell into decline after the problems that came to tarnish his image. His administration took a hard hit after the SNC-Lavalin scandal in 2019, where Trudeau was accused of interfering in a judicial investigation. This resulted in the departure of several key members of his cabinet, including Jody Wilson-Raybould who was seen as Trudeau’s possible political heir. Despite the severe credibility crisis that this episode generated, the Liberal PM managed to be re-elected for a second term that same year. The next two years of his administration would be marked by the Covid-19 pandemic.

After regularizing his popularity following the measures taken during the pandemic, Trudeau called a snap election in 2021 with the hope of increasing his majority. The result was a fiasco, winning only five more seats, which was sufficient proof that he no longer enjoyed the same acceptance by his citizens as at the beginning of his government.

As his term continued, Trudeau’s popularity was undermined by various factors such as ineffective policies in the face of the economic crisis the country was facing as well as the distrust generated by the lack of transparency in his image as Prime Minister. Adding further weight to his image problems, in 2023 Trudeau and his wife announced their separation after 18 years of marriage. His isolationism began to be felt more strongly.

The political situation within his government began to worsen further in late 2024 when his Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, resigned, due to differences with Trudeau regarding the handling of relations with the US with the return of Donald Trump to power. It is worth noting that Freeland also came to be seen as Trudeau’s successor, despite the fact that he still had intentions of leading his party in the 2025 general elections. After the resignation of his second in command, Trudeau found himself cornered by his own party with the resignation of more cabinet members and the growth of discontent within its ranks, which was already generating pressure for him to resign. It was not until the beginning of this year that the pressure gave way and Justin Trudeau made official his resignation as Prime Minister and leader of the Liberals, stating that he would remain in office until his party chose his successor. With this action, the era of Justin Trudeau came to an end.

Canada is closing a chapter in its politics marked by the public image of an individual who flew very high and fell very low. Justin Trudeau was a politician with great vision and ambition. A rather complex character who left his mark on the role of Prime Minister. With successes and failures, this leader leaves the political scene. However, that does not mean that the Trudeau dynasty will not rise again in the future and take back the reins of power in Canada.

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