Ottawa-Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for an early election on September 20 and said a new mission was needed to ensure voters approve the Liberal government’s plans to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trudeau, 49, is convinced that high vaccination rates against the virus and post-pandemic economic recovery will help prolong and strengthen his seize power. Newly released data show that 71 percent of the country’s eligible population is fully vaccinated.
Elections will take place at “extremely important and important moments” for Canada, according to Trudeau.
“We will make decisions that will last not only in the coming months, but in the coming decades. Canadians deserve to say. That’s exactly what we give them,” he told reporters. Told.
Trudeau spoke to formally request the dissolution of Parliament after visiting Governor Mary Simon, the head of state of Queen Elizabeth II.
Opinion polls show that the Liberal Party will win three consecutive elections, but the 338-seat House of Commons may not be able to regain the majority. Trudeau currently has only a few seats and relies on other political parties to govern.
Nationally, the Liberal Party wins 35% of the votes, while the main opposition Conservatives 30% and the left-wing New Democrats 19%, a Leger Marketing poll showed on August 12. rice field.
Conservative leader Erin O’Toole criticizes Trudeau for calling for an election as he faces the fourth wave of COVID-19, undermining the efforts Canadians have made to fight the pandemic. Said.
“You shouldn’t endanger it for political games or political interests,” O’Toole told reporters.
The Liberal Party has spent a lot of money on subsidies to businesses and individuals to limit the damage caused by COVID-19, sending both national debt and budget deficits to record highs.
The Conservatives and New Democrats recently criticized the idea of early elections, stating that it wasn’t necessary, and described the call as seize power.
“This is a really important moment,” Trudeau said when asked repeatedly why he called for elections during the pandemic.
He said some conservative legislators described the government’s promotion of mandating federally regulated industries to be vaccinated as “despot.”
“The answer to tyranny is to hold elections,” he said.
Centre-right conservatives, the Liberal Party’s biggest rival, said that if Trudeau wins again, spending will increase and generations of Canadians will suffer from debt.
With a majority of parliament, Trudeau is free to implement his stated policy priorities of fighting climate change and helping those who suffered the most during the pandemic.
Nanos Research pollster Nik Nanos said liberals had no choice but to go to polls now, saying that the longer they wait, the greater the risk of facing a fourth wave of coronavirus.
“They’re going to look at the window and aim for it before the bad news comes out, before there’s another variant, or before the full cost of fighting a pandemic appears on the bill,” he said in an interview. rice field.
The Bank of Canada gave optimism last month about growth towards the second half of this year.
However, bond markets have already shown that Canada’s economic growth could slow as Canada’s economic growth slows as cases of delta variants increase in its largest trading partner, the United States and other major export markets. I am.
“Dangerous situation”
Trudeau, the son of long-time former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, first won the majority in 2015. But in the 2019 election, he didn’t reach the majority after the black-faced photo of decades ago surfaced.
Another minority government is likely to once again rely on New Democrats, which favors higher spending on social programs. It will also raise questions about Trudeau’s future as the leader of his party.
Trudeau refused to repeatedly say on Sunday whether he would resign as leader if he didn’t secure a majority in the vote.
Without strong opponents in this election, the Liberal Party fears that the vote could be fragmented and handed over yet another minority government, as major opposition conservatives are struggling.
Some Liberal parties have questioned the need for early elections, saying that Trudeau has managed to pass most of the bills proposed by the Liberal Party, although he has complained about the opposition’s obstruction.
Peter Donolo, political strategist at Hill & Knowlton Strategies and communications director for former Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, said:
By David Ljunggren and Steve Scherer
