Justin Trudeau will start 2024 with the attitude of a boxer. After 2023, which he describes as “tough”, the prime minister is betting. Pierre Poilivre is currently ahead of him in the polls.
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As part of his long year-end interview with Paul LaRocque, Justin Trudeau addressed several hot topics, starting with his conservative rival.
“The fight hasn’t really started yet,” he says, when asked about his face-to-face meeting with Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
He believes Canadians should ask themselves the real questions during the election campaign, two years from now, but not before.
“Mr. Poilievre didn’t put forward a plan, didn’t care about the environment, didn’t fight for women’s rights,” says Justin Trudeau.
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He believes Pierre Poilievre is doing things against Quebec values and reiterates what kind of country Canadians want to live in during the next elections.
“I’m not fighting against Poilievre, I’m fighting for Quebecers and Canadians. He’s fighting against me, and I don’t care one bit,” the Liberal leader said.
He assured that he was looking forward to the next election and wanted to contest for the post of Prime Minister.
“A Hard Year”
Justin Trudeau has not hidden the fact that the past year has not been particularly easy for him and his government.
“It’s been a tough year for everyone, but we keep fighting for the right things and we’re motivated,” says the Prime Minister.
Recent polls have not been particularly favorable for Justin Trudeau and his team.
According to him, it is a reflection of what is happening in society.
“People are struggling, there’s a lot of frustration. It is normal for them to blame those in power,” believes the Prime Minister.
Two years before the election, he didn’t think much of the polls.
“We must do all the work necessary to solve these problems, find solutions to restore confidence in people, in our country, in our economy,” he stressed.
Inflation and the cost of living have been particularly hot topics in the past year.
Justin Trudeau believes and expects interest rates to fall in 2024.
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“One thing we expect is that we make sure the Bank of Canada knows better, but we respect their independence,” the prime minister added.
Asked about his government’s debt, Justin Trudeau believes the pandemic has worsened the situation.
“Yes, we have a deficit, but it is the smallest deficit of the G7 countries. We have a better debt ratio compared to the size of the country,” explains the Prime Minister.
US presidency
2024 will be marked by a race for the presidency of the United States, which will mark the return of Donald Trump to the White House.
From the outset, the Liberal leader acknowledges that reconciling with Americans will not be easy.
“Even Obama or Biden, we have our differences,” he admits.
For Trump, Justin Trudeau fears a potential backlash on several fronts, including the environment and women’s rights.
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“Unfortunately, I’m very concerned about the planet and the environment if a Trump administration is coming back,” says Justin Trudeau, who is on good terms with the Biden administration.
However, he indicated that a Donald Trump presidency could push forward on a number of issues, including the renegotiation of the Canada-US-Mexico agreement.
Relations with Quebec
The relationship between Canada and the provinces, particularly Quebec, has been stormy at times in recent months.
“It’s true that there are things I don’t agree with the Quebec government, but there are a lot of things we agree on,” the premier insists.
The Last Dissent in Motion: The Files of English-Speaking Universities.
“We are the first to recognize that more needs to be done to protect the French in Quebec, but there are ways to do that and I am concerned about the approach taken,” said Mr. Trudeau underlines.
As with the federal government, François Legault suffered a drop in voting intentions in favor of the Parti Québécois, a pro-sovereign group.
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Justin Trudeau judges it a sign of government desperation in difficult months.
“The PQ presents itself as an alternative. […] I, in my conversations with the people, with the citizens, do not often talk to me about sovereignty. This is not a conversation about the nation of Quebec,” he notes.
His children, his pride
Justin Trudeau openly admits that his children are his greatest pride.
His eldest, 16-year-old Xavier, is now six feet three inches taller than the Prime Minister.
Her youngest daughter, Ella-Grace, 14, is almost 15, and plays ballet. “She’s turning into an extraordinary young woman,” says Justine Trudeau.
Hadrian, the youngest, 9 years old, is independent and has a very curious mind, who, according to his father, believes that he will become an engineer.
Will his children continue the family tradition of going into politics? Not likely, the Prime Minister believes.
“No one is going to be a politician. […] We’ve been giving a lot to public service for two generations, and it’s not an easy job,” Justin Trudeau admits.
She insisted her children were fine. “We’re trying to give them as much stability as possible,” he says, referring to his split from Sophie Gregoire earlier this year.
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“We are friends and after Christmas we will go on holiday together,” says the Prime Minister.
He wants Sophie Gregoire and him to be united partners in the matter of their children.
The Prime Minister doesn’t seem to have anyone else in her life and admits that her politics and parenting responsibilities take up a significant portion of her schedule.
