Opposition narrows gap with Trudeau’s party: Polls

TORONTO: As the fiasco over foreign troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan dominates the headlines across Canada, it is making a negative impact on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s attempt to garner a parliamentary majority in the September 20 snap election.

For the first time in months, Trudeau’s ruling Liberal Party is locked in a close contest with its main opposition, Conservative Party.

Trudeau has had to address the crisis in Afghanistan at every election stop, and that was also the case on Tuesday. After a virtual G7 summit, he told reporters that Canada was “ready to stay beyond the [August] 31 deadline if it’s at all possible, because we want to save as many people as possible.”

That, however, would depend on US presence in Kabul beyond that date. In his latest remarks, American President Joe Biden has said the US is “currently on pace” to finish the Afghan evacuation process by August 31, but has asked officials for “contingency plans to adjust the timetable” should that become necessary, leaving the door open for an extension.

While Trudeau said nearly 2,000 people have been evacuated from Kabul so far by Canada’s armed forces, his government has faced criticism for its lack of planning and tardy action in this regard.

Among the critics are those associated with the World Sikh Organisation who expressed their “disappointment” over Canada’s inability to rescue minorities from Afghanistan.

All of this is making an impact on Trudeau’s electoral ambition as the outlet Global News pointed out that the “first week of the campaign has been dominated by criticisms over the government’s slow evacuation”.

The observation came with a poll by the agency Ipsos for the outlet that showed the Liberals have lost three points over a week and now have 33% support nearly the same as the Conservatives, who are at 32%.

Another national poll conducted by Angus Reid Institute underscored that trajectory, as it found the gap narrowing, with the Liberals again at 33%, with a lead of just two points over the Conservatives.

However, the good news for Trudeau could be that foreign affairs is rarely a decisive element in an election outcome in Canada.