Justin Trudeau is the King of Woke – and Canada has finally tired of his hubris

His decision to call a snap election has backfired disastrously

 Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is fighting for his political life. His decision to bring down his minority government and call an early election has seriously backfired. His Liberals are behind in the polls to the Conservatives, and are sinking fast.

Many Canadians are furious about voting during Covid-19. They’re irritated with Trudeau’s wasteful spending on expensive programmes like a national carbon tax and childcare plan. But above all, they’re tired of the smug, know-it-all attitude of this sire of political royalty (his late father also served as PM) who, before politics, had accomplished next to nothing in life.

When Trudeau was elected Prime Minister in 2015, he became the darling of the Left-liberal elite. They viewed him as a natural replacement to former US President Barack Obama. They believed he would enthusiastically promote issues like the environment, feminism, and wealth taxes. They hoped he would become a beacon of light who used compassion to tame rogue states, totalitarian nations and terrorists. Trudeau was “woke” before most of us had even heard of the word.

Many people saw right through this nonsense, of course. Trudeau wasn’t a leader. He had briefly taught French, maths and drama at a Vancouver-based private school, dropped out of a master’s degree in environmental geography, and dabbled in politics when it suited his purposes. He won his seat in Quebec by under 1,200 votes in 2008. He was elected Liberal leader five years later because the party had dropped to third place and thought his surname would pique interest.

This doesn’t take away from Trudeau’s election victory in 2015. He and his team rebuilt a shattered party, and fairly beat former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper. But while Lefties believed they had found a progressive champion, the rest knew his hubris was built on hot air.

Canada’s economy has weakened under his leadership. He’s spent taxpayer money like a drunken sailor on public services, while private sector involvement has severely diminished. Emergency relief measures during Covid-19 pushed the federal deficit up from C$21.77 billion C$314 billion in 2020 – and it’s racing towards C$380-400 billion this fiscal year. His plan to raise the corporate tax rate on banks and insurers from 15 to 18 per cent could crush the housing market and lower Canada’s credit rating.

Trudeau’s public image has also taken a beating. Thanks to three older instances of him wearing blackface, and spats with (mostly) female MPs and cabinet ministers which have led opponents to call him a “fake feminist”, he has been accused of hypocrisy. But more often he just comes across as ridiculous – for example for using silly phrases such as “she-conomy,” “she-cession” and “peoplekind.”

That’s why many Canadians are fed up with all things Trudeau. If this trend continues to the September 20 election, the final chapter of his lacklustre political career will be written – and his fall from grace will be complete.

Michael Taube is a columnist for Troy Media and Loonie Politics and was a speechwriter for Stephen Harper