As of: 09/10/2021 9:24 a.m.
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Canada’s prime minister wanted to get some air with new elections, and polls gave him hope for a majority of his own. But now it is even possible to deselect it. He also came under pressure during the last television debate.
By Peter Mücke, ARD-Studio New York
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau probably had a different picture of things when he called new elections in Canada in mid-August. At that time, his Liberal Party was still well ahead of the conservative opposition in polls. The early election – the regular election would not have been held until 2023 – seemed a good opportunity to get out of the unloved minority government and to be able to rule with a majority of your own. But the wind has turned. Less than two weeks before the election, the two big parties are almost on par and instead Trudeau is under pressure – also yesterday in the last television debate.
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“When Afghanistan fell, 1200 Canadians were waiting for help. And what did Mister Trudeau do? He called a new election. They put their own political interests above the welfare of thousands of people. Leadership means putting others first instead they are calling for a new election: in the fourth wave of the pandemic, while fires are raging in British Columbia and without the job in Afghanistan being finished, “attacked his conservative challenger Erin O’Toole Trudeau, of the trouble had to justify his decision.
Criticism of the new election decision
“In the coming hours you will hear very different ideas about how we can get out of this pandemic. How we can end it and better rebuild the economy. These are decisions that have to be made now. This fall. And not in a year or two,” says Trudeau. According to surveys, around two thirds of Canadians now doubt this justification. Because the opposition had so far supported large parts of the government’s corona policy. Trudeau had even run his budget recently with the help of the New Democratic Party. Its chairman Jagmeet Singh again criticized the new election decision.
“It was a bad decision to call this election while the Afghanistan crisis continues. We know how women and girls are doing there now. That could have been avoided. Veterans have long said that would happen. We didn’t listened to them – and that is why we are now in this terrible situation, “he says.
Justin Trudeau comes under pressure during the televised debate with Erin O’Toole and Annamie Paul of the Greens.
Build: AP
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Trudeau defended his Afghanistan policy and praised the work of the Canadian armed forces. Other issues took a back seat in the debate. For example, the reconciliation with the indigenous peoples in the country. The discovery of children’s graves had occupied many Canadians in the past few months. It only got hotter when it came to climate policy. “You ask me how we can convince the 25 percent of Canadians who still don’t want to see climate change? Mister O’Toole can’t even convince his own party. That’s probably why his plan is so weak,” said Trudeau.
O’Toole wants to weaken the previous climate targets
The conservative top candidate O’Toole wants to weaken Canada’s previous climate targets in order to get the economy going again and to create new jobs. Parts of his party, however, are calling for an even more radical departure. Which is why O’Toole had to put up with the question of who would determine the policy of a possible conservative government: “I’m at the wheel to get the country back on track.”
Whoever will direct Canada’s fortunes after the September 20th election – O’Toole or, as has been the case for six years, Trudeau – will probably head a minority government again. There is no sign of an absolute majority for any party.
New election in Canada – Prime Minister Trudeau under pressure in television debate
Peter Mücke, ARD New York, September 10, 2021 9:01 am
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