Canadian Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trudeau-apologizes-for-racist-brownface-yearbook-photo-250528">Justin Trudeau</a> will remain in power but with a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-congratulates-canadas-prime-minister-trudeau-on-election-victory-257426">minority government </a>that will require the support of a smaller left-leaning party after a hard-fought election in which he was dogged by scandals.

"From coast to coast to coast tonight, Canadians rejected division and negativity. They rejected cuts and austerity and they voted in favour of a progressive agenda and strong action on climate change," Trudeau told cheering crowds of supporters delivering his victory speech at the party headquarters in Montreal in the early hours of Tuesday (October 22).

Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: Impact of Immigration on Canada's Politics in 2019

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-impact-of-immigration-on-canadas-politics-in-2019-249527/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Liberals had won or were leading in 156 out of 338 seats in Monday's (October 21) vote, according to Elections Canada. That put the Liberals far short of the 170 seats needed for a second straight majority government.

Trudeau, who took power in 2015 as a charismatic figure promising "sunny ways," saw his popularity drop over old photos of him in blackface and his handling of a corporate corruption case. He will now have to rely on the New Democratic Party (NDP) to push through key legislation.

Trudeau, 47, who has championed diversity as prime minister, was endorsed by former US President Barack Obama in the final stretch of the campaign and is viewed as one of the last remaining progressive leaders among the world's major democracies.

But the son of the late Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau also had to overcome a sense of fatigue with his government.

US President Donald Trump, whose relationship with Trudeau has been testy at times, congratulated him "on a wonderful and hard-fought victory" via Twitter.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will remain in power but with a minority government that will require the support of a smaller left-leaning party after a hard-fought election in which he was dogged by scandals.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will remain in power but with a minority government that will require the support of a smaller left-leaning party after a hard-fought election in which he was dogged by scandals. "From coast to coast to coast tonight, Canadians rejected division and negativity. They rejected cuts and austerity and they voted in favour of a progressive agenda and strong action on climate change," Trudeau told cheering crowds of supporters delivering his victory speech at the party headquarters in Montreal in the early hours of Tuesday (October 22). Watch: Gravitas: Impact of Immigration on Canada's Politics in 2019 The Liberals had won or were leading in 156 out of 338 seats in Monday's (October 21) vote, according to Elections Canada. That put the Liberals far short of the 170 seats needed for a second straight majority government. Trudeau, who took power in 2015 as a charismatic figure promising "sunny ways," saw his popularity drop over old photos of him in blackface and his handling of a corporate corruption case. He will now have to rely on the New Democratic Party (NDP) to push through key legislation. Trudeau, 47, who has championed diversity as prime minister, was endorsed by former US President Barack Obama in the final stretch of the campaign and is viewed as one of the last remaining progressive leaders among the world's major democracies. But the son of the late Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau also had to overcome a sense of fatigue with his government. US President Donald Trump, whose relationship with Trudeau has been testy at times, congratulated him "on a wonderful and hard-fought victory" via Twitter.

Canada election: PM Justin Trudeau returns to power, says voters rejected negativity

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held on to his job in Monday's election, securing his spot as one of the world's few high-profile progressive leaders, but tarnished by scandal and with his power diminished.

The man former US President Barack Obama privately anointed as a successor in global diplomacy survived a blackface scandal and the disclosure that he sought to interfere with a federal corruption prosecution, but just barely.

Trudeau's Liberals, who won power four years ago with a strong parliamentary majority, were projected by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp to form a minority government after a tight election battle with the Conservative Party led by Andrew Scheer. That would leave Trudeau needing the support of smaller opposition parties to govern.

Watch:&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/canada-elects-43rd-general-elections-underway-its-trudeau-vs-scheer-in-canada-257394/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The hype was so great when he ran before, it would be hard to match that," said Jonathan Rose, a political science professor at Queen's University. "The burden of governing both wore him down and wore voters down."

Alternately charming and awkward, the former teacher and snowboard instructor swept to power in 2015 at the age of 43. Born on Christmas Day in 1971 to a sitting Canadian prime minister, Pierre Trudeau, the younger Trudeau grew up in the spotlight.

On taking over as prime minister, Trudeau said he would tackle climate change, overhaul the electoral system, legalize marijuana and have Canada take in 25,000 Syrian refugees. He proclaimed himself a feminist and unveiled a gender-balanced Cabinet. Mobbed for selfies, Trudeau brought style to an office that is usually dour, and broadcast much of it on social media.

But before long, key allies turned hard to the right - the UK voted to leave the European Union, and the United States elected Republican Donald Trump as president.

In time, Trudeau concentrated power in the prime minister's office and abandoned electoral reform. His government bought the troubled Trans Mountain oil pipeline, infuriating environmentalists, even as it moved to put a price on carbon, alienating the energy industry.

The run-up to the campaign was marked by high-profile Cabinet defections and a watchdog report that found Trudeau and his team tried to undermine a federal prosecutor's decision to put construction firm SNC-Lavalin Group Inc on trial for corruption.

Then, as the campaign began, a 2001 photograph emerged that showed Trudeau, then 29, at a party, his face covered in dark makeup. More photographs of him in blackface quickly followed as Trudeau apologised. The images, which briefly dented the Liberals' popularity, ran counter to a carefully managed public persona.

Trudeau also promised "reconciliation" with Canada's indigenous peoples, who make up about 5% of the country.

Ahead of Monday's election, the indigenous political group Assembly of First Nations (AFN) said there had been "concrete action and investments" but "we have considerable ground to make up to ensure First Nations and Canadians share an equal quality of life."

'VOICE TO BE NEEDED MORE'

On the eve of the election, the race looked close. Trudeau had a shot at a dispiriting honour: the first prime minister since 1935 to lose power in the next election after winning the first-term majority.

"It was inevitable that some of that shine was going to come off, and I think we've seen that," said Andrew MacDougall, who was a spokesman for former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose Conservative government was ousted by Trudeau's Liberals in 2015. "But he's not that far away from where he was when he was elected."

The friendship Trudeau forged with Obama in another era seems to endure. The two were spotted dining together in Ottawa earlier this year, and the former president tweeted his endorsement last Wednesday of Trudeau's re-election.

In a recent book, former Obama adviser Ben Rhodes described a 2016 meeting between the two leaders.

"Justin, your voice is going to be needed more," Obama said, according to Rhodes. "You're going to have to speak out when certain values are threatened."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held on to his job in Monday's election, securing his spot as one of the world's few high-profile progressive leaders, but tarnished by scandal and with his power diminished.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held on to his job in Monday's election, securing his spot as one of the world's few high-profile progressive leaders, but tarnished by scandal and with his power diminished. The man former US President Barack Obama privately anointed as a successor in global diplomacy survived a blackface scandal and the disclosure that he sought to interfere with a federal corruption prosecution, but just barely. Trudeau's Liberals, who won power four years ago with a strong parliamentary majority, were projected by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp to form a minority government after a tight election battle with the Conservative Party led by Andrew Scheer. That would leave Trudeau needing the support of smaller opposition parties to govern. Watch: "The hype was so great when he ran before, it would be hard to match that," said Jonathan Rose, a political science professor at Queen's University. "The burden of governing both wore him down and wore voters down." Alternately charming and awkward, the former teacher and snowboard instructor swept to power in 2015 at the age of 43. Born on Christmas Day in 1971 to a sitting Canadian prime minister, Pierre Trudeau, the younger Trudeau grew up in the spotlight. On taking over as prime minister, Trudeau said he would tackle climate change, overhaul the electoral system, legalize marijuana and have Canada take in 25,000 Syrian refugees. He proclaimed himself a feminist and unveiled a gender-balanced Cabinet. Mobbed for selfies, Trudeau brought style to an office that is usually dour, and broadcast much of it on social media. But before long, key allies turned hard to the right - the UK voted to leave the European Union, and the United States elected Republican Donald Trump as president. In time, Trudeau concentrated power in the prime minister's office and abandoned electoral reform. His government bought the troubled Trans Mountain oil pipeline, infuriating environmentalists, even as it moved to put a price on carbon, alienating the energy industry. The run-up to the campaign was marked by high-profile Cabinet defections and a watchdog report that found Trudeau and his team tried to undermine a federal prosecutor's decision to put construction firm SNC-Lavalin Group Inc on trial for corruption. Then, as the campaign began, a 2001 photograph emerged that showed Trudeau, then 29, at a party, his face covered in dark makeup. More photographs of him in blackface quickly followed as Trudeau apologised. The images, which briefly dented the Liberals' popularity, ran counter to a carefully managed public persona. Trudeau also promised "reconciliation" with Canada's indigenous peoples, who make up about 5% of the country. Ahead of Monday's election, the indigenous political group Assembly of First Nations (AFN) said there had been "concrete action and investments" but "we have considerable ground to make up to ensure First Nations and Canadians share an equal quality of life." 'VOICE TO BE NEEDED MORE' On the eve of the election, the race looked close. Trudeau had a shot at a dispiriting honour: the first prime minister since 1935 to lose power in the next election after winning the first-term majority. "It was inevitable that some of that shine was going to come off, and I think we've seen that," said Andrew MacDougall, who was a spokesman for former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose Conservative government was ousted by Trudeau's Liberals in 2015. "But he's not that far away from where he was when he was elected." The friendship Trudeau forged with Obama in another era seems to endure. The two were spotted dining together in Ottawa earlier this year, and the former president tweeted his endorsement last Wednesday of Trudeau's re-election. In a recent book, former Obama adviser Ben Rhodes described a 2016 meeting between the two leaders. "Justin, your voice is going to be needed more," Obama said, according to Rhodes. "You're going to have to speak out when certain values are threatened."

Canada election: Justin Trudeau clings to power but loses some of his lustre

A weakened Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set out Tuesday to secure the support of smaller parties he will need to form a government after winning <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-election-pm-justin-trudeau-returns-to-power-says-voters-rejected-negativity-257453">Canada's nail-biter general</a> election but falling short of a majority.

Trudeau's Liberals took 157 seats in the 338-member House of Commons, down from a comfortable majority of 177 in the last one, official results showed.

Trudeau will thus have to seek some kind of accommodation with the Bloc Quebecois or the New Democratic Party.

Before launching talks with these parties Trudeau greeted people at a subway station in Montreal and posed smiling for selfies.

Trudeau received congratulations Monday evening from US President Donald Trump and on Tuesday from European Council president Donald Tusk.

"From coast to coast to coast, tonight Canadians rejected division and negativity," Trudeau said in his victory speech Monday night. "And they rejected cuts and austerity and voted in favor of a progressive agenda and strong action on climate change."

Even though he came out weakened, Trudeau did better than expected. Up until election day polls had him neck and neck with Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer.

The Conservatives won 121 seats but beat the Liberals in the popular vote, taking 34.4 percent to their 33.1 percent. Scheer issued a warning to Trudeau.

"Canadians have passed judgement on (Trudeau's) Liberal government," noting that the Liberals shed more than 20 seats.

"We have put him on notice, his leadership is damaged and his government will end soon and when that time comes, the Conservatives will be ready and we will win!"

The first test of Trudeau’s future government will follow in the coming weeks with a speech to parliament outlining his legislative priorities and a confidence vote.

For now he faces the tough task of forming a government, for which he will have to take into account the demands of minority parties.

Yves-Francois Blanchet, head of the Bloc Quebecois, a down and out party that scored a big comeback on Monday, said he can work with the new government if the interests of French-speaking Quebec are preserved.

- 'Open minds' - 
"If what is proposed is good for Quebec, you can count on us," said Blanchet, whose party will have 32 seats in the next legislature.

Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the New Democratic party, promised to be constructive.

The leftist former criminal defense lawyer is the first non-white leader of a federal political party in Canada, and is now a kingmaker.

"In the days ahead, I’ll be meeting with my new caucus, to talk about how we will deliver for people," Singh said in a statement.&nbsp;

"We’ll approach building the new parliament with open minds and open hearts," he added.

He added: "The real winner of this election is not a party or a leader. Canadians sent a clear message: they want a government that works for them, and they are not satisfied with the old ways of doing politics."

Trudeau, a 47-year-old former school teacher, dominated Canadian politics over the four years of his first term, but faced a grilling during the 40-day election campaign, which he described as one of the "dirtiest and nastiest" in Canadian history.

Trudeau and Scheer exchanged barbs as attack ads and misinformation multiplied.&nbsp;

Trudeau evoked the bogeymen of past and current Tory parties fostering "politics of fear and division" while Scheer called the prime minister a "compulsive liar," "a phony and a fraud."

Going into the election Trudeau's golden boy image had already been damaged by ethics lapses in the handling of the bribery prosecution of engineering giant SNC-Lavalin. His popularity took a further hit with the emergence during the campaign of old photographs of him in blackface makeup.

Some 27.4 million Canadians were eligible to vote in the election, and the turnout was reported to have been large, at almost 65 percent.

A record 97 women were elected to parliament, including Canada's first indigenous attorney general, Jody Wilson-Raybould, who ran as an independent candidate after Trudeau kicked her out of his caucus.

A weakened Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set out Tuesday to secure the support of smaller parties he will need to form a government after winning Canada's nail-biter general election but falling short of a majority.

A weakened Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set out Tuesday to secure the support of smaller parties he will need to form a government after winning Canada's nail-biter general election but falling short of a majority. Trudeau's Liberals took 157 seats in the 338-member House of Commons, down from a comfortable majority of 177 in the last one, official results showed. Trudeau will thus have to seek some kind of accommodation with the Bloc Quebecois or the New Democratic Party. Before launching talks with these parties Trudeau greeted people at a subway station in Montreal and posed smiling for selfies. Trudeau received congratulations Monday evening from US President Donald Trump and on Tuesday from European Council president Donald Tusk. "From coast to coast to coast, tonight Canadians rejected division and negativity," Trudeau said in his victory speech Monday night. "And they rejected cuts and austerity and voted in favor of a progressive agenda and strong action on climate change." Even though he came out weakened, Trudeau did better than expected. Up until election day polls had him neck and neck with Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer. The Conservatives won 121 seats but beat the Liberals in the popular vote, taking 34.4 percent to their 33.1 percent. Scheer issued a warning to Trudeau. "Canadians have passed judgement on (Trudeau's) Liberal government," noting that the Liberals shed more than 20 seats. "We have put him on notice, his leadership is damaged and his government will end soon and when that time comes, the Conservatives will be ready and we will win!" The first test of Trudeau’s future government will follow in the coming weeks with a speech to parliament outlining his legislative priorities and a confidence vote. For now he faces the tough task of forming a government, for which he will have to take into account the demands of minority parties. Yves-Francois Blanchet, head of the Bloc Quebecois, a down and out party that scored a big comeback on Monday, said he can work with the new government if the interests of French-speaking Quebec are preserved. - 'Open minds' - "If what is proposed is good for Quebec, you can count on us," said Blanchet, whose party will have 32 seats in the next legislature. Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the New Democratic party, promised to be constructive. The leftist former criminal defense lawyer is the first non-white leader of a federal political party in Canada, and is now a kingmaker. "In the days ahead, I’ll be meeting with my new caucus, to talk about how we will deliver for people," Singh said in a statement. "We’ll approach building the new parliament with open minds and open hearts," he added. He added: "The real winner of this election is not a party or a leader. Canadians sent a clear message: they want a government that works for them, and they are not satisfied with the old ways of doing politics." Trudeau, a 47-year-old former school teacher, dominated Canadian politics over the four years of his first term, but faced a grilling during the 40-day election campaign, which he described as one of the "dirtiest and nastiest" in Canadian history. Trudeau and Scheer exchanged barbs as attack ads and misinformation multiplied. Trudeau evoked the bogeymen of past and current Tory parties fostering "politics of fear and division" while Scheer called the prime minister a "compulsive liar," "a phony and a fraud." Going into the election Trudeau's golden boy image had already been damaged by ethics lapses in the handling of the bribery prosecution of engineering giant SNC-Lavalin. His popularity took a further hit with the emergence during the campaign of old photographs of him in blackface makeup. Some 27.4 million Canadians were eligible to vote in the election, and the turnout was reported to have been large, at almost 65 percent. A record 97 women were elected to parliament, including Canada's first indigenous attorney general, Jody Wilson-Raybould, who ran as an independent candidate after Trudeau kicked her out of his caucus.

Canadians voted for progressive agenda and strong action on climate change: Trudeau

By Jeremy Wildeman

Canada’s federal election campaign highlighted a struggle that caught the world by surprise. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on the ropes throughout the campaign, just four years after his meteoric rise to power and global fandom, even though he ultimately managed to win a minority government.

His struggles did not come as much of a surprise for Canadian progressives, however, who first helped propel him to those heights four years ago.

Trudeau came to power with incredible fanfare after an election victory in October 2015 that saw Stephen Harper’s Conservatives voted out.

Trudeau returned his party to power with a majority government by appealing to an electorate that was more than weary of almost a decade of right-wing Conservative rule.

The world sat up and took notice, in part because Trudeau’s famous father, Pierre, had been swept to power in a similar fashion in 1968 amid a wave of what was known as Trudeaumania.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau also had a progressive platform and, for a time, enjoyed a rock star-like popularity among Canadians.

That victory more than 50 years ago laid the foundation for 16 years of nearly uninterrupted Liberal rule under Pierre Trudeau, who was the architect of multiculturalism in Canada and further committed the country to peace-building and a rules-based international system.

It’s a vision many Canadians came to embrace, but one that Harper’s Conservatives, in power from 2006 to 2015, seemed determined to systematically replace. In this way, the election of Justin Trudeau seemed for many to be a repudiation of the Harper agenda and a return to the normalcy of Canada’s past.

Canada is back

At first, Trudeau seemed unable to disappoint. He could not have appeared a starker contrast from Harper, regarded by many Canadians as cold and uncharismatic. Youthful, charming and handsome, Trudeau’s progressive messaging immediately stood apart from Harper’s. His policies appeared to do so, too.

This included immediately opening Canada up to tens of thousands of Syrian refugees, which Harper had initially appeared reluctant to do. Trudeau even went to Toronto’s airport to welcome some of the first refugees, saying: “You are home.”

Trudeau’s Liberals emphasised a multicultural Canada that would be open to refugees. This diversity would be represented in their government, too. In contrast to some Conservative leadership candidates’ embrace of Islamophobia and a “barbaric cultural practices tip line,” Trudeau’s government included a record number of Muslim MPs. Trudeau also became the first Canadian prime minister to march in a Pride parade.

Trudeau ran in 2015 on a message of environmental protection, support for Indigenous nations in Canada and global feminism. This included instituting a feminist foreign policy agenda and a reorientation of Canada’s development aid programming on a Feminist International Assistance Policy. When asked why he established gender parity for his first cabinet, he famously retorted: “Because it’s 2015.”

His government legalized cannabis sales and reversed Harper’s anti-science restrictions on research. It increased immigration quotas and reasserted Canadian support for multilateral institutions and international law. This seemed like a return to form for Canada on the international stage and Trudeau emphasized this by saying: “Canada is back.”

Canadians largely seemed happy with his leadership and his government rode high in the polls. His popularity only seemed to skyrocket at home and abroad with the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States in 2016.

For liberals around the world, Trudeau seemed to represent everything the new president was not. Before long, Trudeau became a global symbol in the worldwide struggle against the rise of authoritarianism, populism and white nationalism.

Foreign policy questions

So what happened? Why did Trudeau have to fight for his political life this election against the Conservatives, the New Democratic Party and a resurgent Bloc Québécois, a separatist party that only runs candidates in Québec?

As often happens in Canada, questions about Trudeau’s progressive credentials arose in the Middle East.

Being progressive in Canada often includes support for Palestinian rights. This was in part a result of Harper’s very partisan pro-Israel approach to governance, which included a crackdown on Canadian advocates for Palestinian rights.

Though Trudeau’s Liberals did reinvest funds that Harper’s Conservatives cut from Palestinian refugees, progressives quickly noticed how Trudeau and his government would go out of their way to attack Canadians who advocated for Palestinian rights. This was accompanied by robust diplomatic support for the policies of the right-wing Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, who was the antithesis of everything Trudeau was supposed to represent.

In region after region, Liberal foreign policy appeared to come out of the Harper playbook. This included Canada’s participation in a campaign to force regime change in oil-rich Venezuela and approving record weapons sales to a notorious human rights violator, Saudi Arabia, as it wages a brutal war in Yemen.

Even Trudeau’s feminist foreign policy seemed hollow.

What good did it do for Yemeni women whose communities are being destroyed with Canadian weapons, Palestinian women shot for protesting the blockade on Gaza or Venezuelan women impoverished by a Canadian-backed economic blockade?

The death of a brand

From his rapid retreat from a campaign pledge for proportional electoral representation to his odd fascination with fancy dress and concerns about the sincerity of his progressive credentials, cumulative questions arose about Trudeau domestically.

Two particular events, though, were critical to undoing his progressive brand.

First was his government’s $4.5 billion purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline from U.S.-based corporation Kinder Morgan. This was highly unpopular with environmentalists and the First Nations communities it would run through. This raised serious questions about Trudeau’s commitment to fighting climate change and helping Indigenous Peoples, too.

Second was his government’s attempt to halt criminal proceedings into Québec-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin for overseas corruption. This led to the resignation from cabinet of Jody Wilson-Raybould, Canada’s first Indigenous minister of justice.

She complained she was pressured into considering a deferred prosecution agreement for SNC-Lavalin, and was joined in solidarity in her departure from cabinet by another of Trudeau’s most prominent female ministers, Jane Philpott.

Both were then pushed out of the Liberal caucus, topping off a scandal that raised questions about Trudeau’s commitment to corporate good governance, women’s empowerment and Indigenous leadership.

The campaign trail emergence of images of a younger Trudeau in blackface was also shocking to progressive voters. The photos decidedly tarnished his image, both at home and abroad.

Progressives looking elsewhere

Canada is a diverse country with a diverse electorate. Many Canadian voters, and the core Liberal constituency, still supported Trudeau. This kept him relevant in the 2019 election campaign. A late campaign endorsement by former US&nbsp;President Barack Obama also served as a reminder of what Trudeau still symbolizes to many liberals around the world.

Though Trudeau’s struggles may seem surprising, the inability of his government to truly address deep structural inequalities and income insecurity in Canada fits a pattern of the fracturing of the political landscape of nearly every other liberal democracy. This plagued Obama’s administration as well.

Having a family name and background that symbolizes privilege, in a world where wealth inequality and nepotism have become such divisive topics, hasn’t helped Trudeau.

Dissatisfied with Trudeau, some of Canada’s large progressive electorate, as well as Québec voters, began to look elsewhere —to the New Democrats and the Greens, and in Québec, to the resurgent Bloc Québécois, which took particular advantage of Trudeau’s missteps on the environment.

Trudeau had problems this election because he lost part of the progressive base that put him over the top in 2015, and because the Bloc turned out to be a bigger force in vote-rich Québec than expected.

 
(Jeremy Wildeman is Research Associate in International Development, University of Bath)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/justin-trudeaus-political-setback-a-surprise-to-the-world-but-not-to-canada-125422">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

By Jeremy Wildeman Canada’s federal election campaign highlighted a struggle that caught the world by surprise. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on the ropes throughout the campaign, just four years after his meteoric rise to power and global fandom, even though he ultimately managed to win a minority government.

By Jeremy Wildeman Canada’s federal election campaign highlighted a struggle that caught the world by surprise. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on the ropes throughout the campaign, just four years after his meteoric rise to power and global fandom, even though he ultimately managed to win a minority government. His struggles did not come as much of a surprise for Canadian progressives, however, who first helped propel him to those heights four years ago. Trudeau came to power with incredible fanfare after an election victory in October 2015 that saw Stephen Harper’s Conservatives voted out. Trudeau returned his party to power with a majority government by appealing to an electorate that was more than weary of almost a decade of right-wing Conservative rule. The world sat up and took notice, in part because Trudeau’s famous father, Pierre, had been swept to power in a similar fashion in 1968 amid a wave of what was known as Trudeaumania. Pierre Elliott Trudeau also had a progressive platform and, for a time, enjoyed a rock star-like popularity among Canadians. That victory more than 50 years ago laid the foundation for 16 years of nearly uninterrupted Liberal rule under Pierre Trudeau, who was the architect of multiculturalism in Canada and further committed the country to peace-building and a rules-based international system. It’s a vision many Canadians came to embrace, but one that Harper’s Conservatives, in power from 2006 to 2015, seemed determined to systematically replace. In this way, the election of Justin Trudeau seemed for many to be a repudiation of the Harper agenda and a return to the normalcy of Canada’s past. Canada is back At first, Trudeau seemed unable to disappoint. He could not have appeared a starker contrast from Harper, regarded by many Canadians as cold and uncharismatic. Youthful, charming and handsome, Trudeau’s progressive messaging immediately stood apart from Harper’s. His policies appeared to do so, too. This included immediately opening Canada up to tens of thousands of Syrian refugees, which Harper had initially appeared reluctant to do. Trudeau even went to Toronto’s airport to welcome some of the first refugees, saying: “You are home.” Trudeau’s Liberals emphasised a multicultural Canada that would be open to refugees. This diversity would be represented in their government, too. In contrast to some Conservative leadership candidates’ embrace of Islamophobia and a “barbaric cultural practices tip line,” Trudeau’s government included a record number of Muslim MPs. Trudeau also became the first Canadian prime minister to march in a Pride parade. Trudeau ran in 2015 on a message of environmental protection, support for Indigenous nations in Canada and global feminism. This included instituting a feminist foreign policy agenda and a reorientation of Canada’s development aid programming on a Feminist International Assistance Policy. When asked why he established gender parity for his first cabinet, he famously retorted: “Because it’s 2015.” His government legalized cannabis sales and reversed Harper’s anti-science restrictions on research. It increased immigration quotas and reasserted Canadian support for multilateral institutions and international law. This seemed like a return to form for Canada on the international stage and Trudeau emphasized this by saying: “Canada is back.” Canadians largely seemed happy with his leadership and his government rode high in the polls. His popularity only seemed to skyrocket at home and abroad with the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States in 2016. For liberals around the world, Trudeau seemed to represent everything the new president was not. Before long, Trudeau became a global symbol in the worldwide struggle against the rise of authoritarianism, populism and white nationalism. Foreign policy questions So what happened? Why did Trudeau have to fight for his political life this election against the Conservatives, the New Democratic Party and a resurgent Bloc Québécois, a separatist party that only runs candidates in Québec? As often happens in Canada, questions about Trudeau’s progressive credentials arose in the Middle East. Being progressive in Canada often includes support for Palestinian rights. This was in part a result of Harper’s very partisan pro-Israel approach to governance, which included a crackdown on Canadian advocates for Palestinian rights. Though Trudeau’s Liberals did reinvest funds that Harper’s Conservatives cut from Palestinian refugees, progressives quickly noticed how Trudeau and his government would go out of their way to attack Canadians who advocated for Palestinian rights. This was accompanied by robust diplomatic support for the policies of the right-wing Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, who was the antithesis of everything Trudeau was supposed to represent. In region after region, Liberal foreign policy appeared to come out of the Harper playbook. This included Canada’s participation in a campaign to force regime change in oil-rich Venezuela and approving record weapons sales to a notorious human rights violator, Saudi Arabia, as it wages a brutal war in Yemen. Even Trudeau’s feminist foreign policy seemed hollow. What good did it do for Yemeni women whose communities are being destroyed with Canadian weapons, Palestinian women shot for protesting the blockade on Gaza or Venezuelan women impoverished by a Canadian-backed economic blockade? The death of a brand From his rapid retreat from a campaign pledge for proportional electoral representation to his odd fascination with fancy dress and concerns about the sincerity of his progressive credentials, cumulative questions arose about Trudeau domestically. Two particular events, though, were critical to undoing his progressive brand. First was his government’s $4.5 billion purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline from U.S.-based corporation Kinder Morgan. This was highly unpopular with environmentalists and the First Nations communities it would run through. This raised serious questions about Trudeau’s commitment to fighting climate change and helping Indigenous Peoples, too. Second was his government’s attempt to halt criminal proceedings into Québec-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin for overseas corruption. This led to the resignation from cabinet of Jody Wilson-Raybould, Canada’s first Indigenous minister of justice. She complained she was pressured into considering a deferred prosecution agreement for SNC-Lavalin, and was joined in solidarity in her departure from cabinet by another of Trudeau’s most prominent female ministers, Jane Philpott. Both were then pushed out of the Liberal caucus, topping off a scandal that raised questions about Trudeau’s commitment to corporate good governance, women’s empowerment and Indigenous leadership. The campaign trail emergence of images of a younger Trudeau in blackface was also shocking to progressive voters. The photos decidedly tarnished his image, both at home and abroad. Progressives looking elsewhere Canada is a diverse country with a diverse electorate. Many Canadian voters, and the core Liberal constituency, still supported Trudeau. This kept him relevant in the 2019 election campaign. A late campaign endorsement by former US President Barack Obama also served as a reminder of what Trudeau still symbolizes to many liberals around the world. Though Trudeau’s struggles may seem surprising, the inability of his government to truly address deep structural inequalities and income insecurity in Canada fits a pattern of the fracturing of the political landscape of nearly every other liberal democracy. This plagued Obama’s administration as well. Having a family name and background that symbolizes privilege, in a world where wealth inequality and nepotism have become such divisive topics, hasn’t helped Trudeau. Dissatisfied with Trudeau, some of Canada’s large progressive electorate, as well as Québec voters, began to look elsewhere —to the New Democrats and the Greens, and in Québec, to the resurgent Bloc Québécois, which took particular advantage of Trudeau’s missteps on the environment. Trudeau had problems this election because he lost part of the progressive base that put him over the top in 2015, and because the Bloc turned out to be a bigger force in vote-rich Québec than expected. (Jeremy Wildeman is Research Associate in International Development, University of Bath) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

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