Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet arrive at the retreat in Halifax, on Aug. 26. Trudeau has been adamant that he will stay on as Liberal Leader and ask Canadians in 2025 to give him a rare fourth consecutive mandate.Kelly Clark/The Canadian Press
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rejected comparisons to U.S. President Joe Biden’s political fate on Monday, saying he’s focused on delivering an agenda that will carry the Liberals through the next election.
Mr. Trudeau gathered in Halifax with his cabinet for the second day of their retreat ahead of the return to the House of Commons next month. Last week’s Democratic convention, which saw Kamala Harris rise to the top of the presidential ticket and energize the party, has drawn significant attention from Liberals north of the border.
Mr. Trudeau said the lesson he takes from the Democrats is that the government needs to respond to the things that “people are actually worried about” and present solutions to the issues they face.
“We’re going to go into this next election, putting a very clear choice for Canadians,” Mr. Trudeau said. “I’m focused on making sure we’re delivering through that election the kinds of things that Canadians need.”
Mr. Trudeau has been adamant that he will stay on as Liberal Leader and ask Canadians in 2025 to give him a rare fourth consecutive mandate – something no prime minister has achieved since Sir Wilfrid Laurier more than a century ago.
Amid a cost-of-living crisis driven by inflation, Mr. Trudeau has frequently pointed to programs such as child care and dental care as proof his government has responded to Canadians’ needs and on Monday also defended his economic record.
“We believe that using that strong economy to support Canadians in responsible ways is the best way to build the future,” he told reporters.
He dismissed Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as someone who would only cut programs if he takes office and accused the Opposition of “throwing up their hands” and calling the Canadian economy broken.
But pollster Nik Nanos said the data show Mr. Trudeau has “become the political lightning rod of disaffection” among voters who are worried about jobs, the economy and the rising cost of living.
“Trudeau trails Poilievre in the double digits both in ballot support and as preferred PM,” Mr. Nanos said. “The only person who can reverse the current trend against Trudeau is Poilievre – who for the Liberals would need to make a mistake to shake the current mood for change.”
The minority Liberals say they will keep a heavy focus on cost-of-living concerns and housing in the coming year, which deputy Conservative leader Melissa Lantsman dismissed as “Groundhog Day.”
“After nine years and multiple cabinet retreats, life is still going to be unaffordable in Canada even after this one,” Ms. Lantsman said.
The government began the summer by losing a long-held seat in midtown Toronto. The loss rattled Liberals, some of whom called for Mr. Trudeau to resign in the wake of the upset. The dissent, however, never turned into a caucus revolt, with only one MP calling for his ouster. The Prime Minister will end the summer with a similar test: a Sept. 16 by-election in another Liberal stronghold, this time in Montreal.
Liberals believe LaSalle-Émard-Verdun should be a lock for their party. A previous version of the riding was held by former prime minister Paul Martin and former Liberal MP David Lametti won it with a nearly 10,000-vote margin in 2021. But since the Toronto-St. Paul’s by-election loss in June, the Liberals have become much more concerned about the Montreal riding. The NDP believes the race is competitive.
Trudeau’s hand-picked candidate for Montreal byelection, Laura Palestini, riles aspiring contenders
Ministers at his cabinet retreat were quick to defend the Prime Minister, with Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland saying she and other ministers have confidence in him as “the guy who can lead us into the next election.”
Immigration Minister Marc Miller said he believes Canadians want to see more of what Mr. Trudeau has offered in terms of programs like child care and don’t want a leader who spends his time “shooting his mouth off,” a reference to Mr. Poilievre.