Trudeau calls for Sept. 20 election in push for majority in Parliament
TORONTO — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau triggered an election Sunday as he seeks to capitalize on Canada being one of the most fully vaccinated countries in the world.
Trudeau announced the election would be held Sept. 20 after visiting the governor general, who holds a mostly ceremonial position representing Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II as head of state.
“We’ve had your back, and now it’s time to hear your voice,” Trudeau said. “Canadians need to choose how we finish the fight against COVID-19.”
Trudeau is seeking to win a majority of seats in Parliament. His Liberal Party fell just short of that two years ago and must rely on the opposition to pass legislation.
The election comes as Canada is experiencing a new wave of COVID-19 cases, driven by the delta variant of the coronavirus. Trudeau called it “the fourth wave amongst unvaccinated people.” Trudeau isn’t as popular as he once was, but his government’s handling of the pandemic has been widely viewed as a success.
After a slow start Canada now has enough vaccine for every citizen. More than 71% of eligible Canadians are fully vaccinated and over 82% have received at least one dose.
But if the election result is another minority government, the “knives will start to come out,” said Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian history and international relations at the University of Toronto.
“Trudeau is not widely liked. He’s what the Liberals have so they will fall in behind him, but if he loses, he’s toast,” Bothwell said.
Trudeau, the son of the late Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, became the second youngest prime minister in Canadian history when he was first elected with a majority of seats in Parliament in 2015. The Liberal’s victory ended almost 10 years of Conservative Party government in Canada, but scandals combined with high expectations have damaged Trudeau’s standing.
His father served as prime minister from 1968 to 1984 with a short interruption.
Trudeau began his news conference Sunday talking about the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Canada closed its embassy in Kabul and staff have fled the country. “The current situation poses serious challenges to our ability to ensure that safety and security of our mission,” he said.
Canada has committed to taking in 20,000 refugees from the country and Afghans who have assisted Canada over the years.