Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has resigned as Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party. Trudeau will take over until a new party leader is elected.
Why did Trudeau resign
- Pressure was mounting on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign from his post, and this pressure continued for several months. His leadership became more isolated over time, and discontent within the party began to grow. Along with this, questions were also raised about Trudeau’s policies in solving the country’s economic problems, which ultimately led to his resignation.
- In October, 24 Liberal MPs publicly demanded Trudeau to resign, making the situation more serious. With no strong successor within the party, the party is now facing a leadership crisis.
- Inflation and the economic impact of the Kovid-19 pandemic also increased dissatisfaction with Trudeau’s leadership. Only 28% of Canadians wanted him to run for re-election, and his approval rating had fallen to 30%.
- After Justin Trudeau’s resignation from the post of Prime Minister, the Liberal Party has started looking for a new leader. Leaders like Melanie Joly, Christy Clark and Mark Carney have emerged as potential candidates for the post. The parliamentary session is going to begin in Canada from January 27 and a confidence vote and election are likely to be held soon.
Justin Trudeau
- Justin Pierre James Trudeau was born on December 25, 1971 in Ottawa, Canada. He is the second youngest Prime Minister in Canadian history and is famous for his charismatic leadership style. In 2015, he was sworn in as Prime Minister and remained in the post till January 2024.
- Education: Justin Trudeau is the son of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Even though his family was active in politics, he chose education and teaching as a career. He studied at Jean-de-Brébeuf College in Montreal and later received degrees in environmental geography from McGill University and the University of British Columbia.
- Family: Trudeau’s family is very famous in Canadian politics. His father had served as the Prime Minister of Canada. He also had a brother Alexander Trudeau and a brother Michel Trudeau. In 2005, he married Sophie Grégoire, and they have three children – Xavier James Trudeau, Ella-Grace Margaret Trudeau, and Hadrien Grégoire Trudeau.
- Career: Before joining politics, Justin Trudeau worked as a high school teacher in Vancouver, where he taught French, mathematics, and drama. In 2008, he won the election as an MP from Papineau, Quebec. In 2013, he became the leader of the Liberal Party and aimed to improve the party’s position.
Justin Trudeau’s Prime Ministership (2015-2024)
- Justin Trudeau was sworn in as Prime Minister of Canada on November 4, 2015 and formed a Liberal Party majority government.
- He cut taxes for middle-income Canadians and raised taxes on the top 1% of income earners.
- He reintroduced the mandatory long-form census that was discontinued in 2010.
- In 2021, he introduced a children’s benefit program that he claimed lifted 400,000 children out of poverty.
- He implemented a carbon pricing policy, setting a goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 and a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
- He introduced a housing accelerator fund and restrictions on foreign buyers to prevent housing price increases.
- In 2019, Trudeau’s Liberal Party won the most seats in the Canadian federal election and formed a minority government.
- That same year, he introduced financial aid programs to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including the CERB (Canada Emergency Response Benefit) and CEWS (Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy).
- He deployed the Canadian Armed Forces to long-term care homes in Quebec and Ontario, as part of Operation Laser.
- In the 2021 election, his party won a third term with 160 seats and formed a second minority government.
- In 2022, he entered into a confidence and supply agreement with the NDP, under which the NDP supported the Liberal government for the remainder of the 44th Parliament.
- He improved trade relations with the US through the CUSMA agreement. The agreement made concessions to allow US milk imports and addressed tariffs on steel and aluminum.
- In 2024, the use of food banks in Canada reached an all-time high, a result of the global food crisis.
Justin Trudeau – Honours
- On 6 February 2012, Justin Trudeau was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal as a member of the House of Commons of Canada.
- On 16 May 2018, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D) degree from New York University and also delivered the convocation address.
- On 19 June 2019, Justin Trudeau received the Grand Cross of the Order of La Pléiade.
- On 23 August 2024, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky awarded Justin Trudeau the Order of Liberty (Ukraine) honour for his contribution to strengthening Ukrainian-Canadian relations.
Impact of change of power in Canada on India
- Change in visa policy: If the Conservative Party comes to power in Canada, the current strict visa policies may be relaxed. This may make it easier for citizens of India to get work or study opportunities in Canada.
- Improvement in diplomatic relations: Under Justin Trudeau’s leadership, Canada had supported Khalistan supporters, which strained relations with India. After the change of leadership, there may be a change in policy and relations may improve.
- Increase in Indian immigration: There was a slight decrease in the number of Indians moving to Canada in recent years, but Indian immigration may increase after the change of leadership. Canada’s immigration policies may become more favorable to the citizens of India, which may expand the Indian community.
- Increase in economic cooperation: The change of government may again encourage economic cooperation between Canada and India. Growth can be seen in the areas of trade, technology and investment by the new leadership.
- Geopolitical Affiliation: Canada’s foreign policy under the new government may become more aligned with India’s interests. This may lead to increased support for India on global issues, such as climate change, security, and economic reform.