The Trudeau Liberals had a tough year. What will they do in 2024?
Global News
Domestically, experts agree that the rising cost of living and the housing crisis were what turned some voters against the Liberals.
When Justin Trudeau went in to huddle with his cabinet in Prince Edward Island in August this year, he had his work cut out for him as anger over housing and affordability in Canada grows.
Fatigue with an administration now in its eighth year seemed to be setting in, as multiple polls have suggested. In Charlottetown, Trudeau tasked his cabinet with finding a way through the biggest domestic crises. As the new year nears, the question now is: are they doing enough?
“I wouldn’t put this down on my list as one of the great years of my life if I were Justin Trudeau,” said Myer Siemiatycki, professor emeritus of politics at Toronto Metropolitan University. “Politically, I would say that it’s been a very difficult year for his Liberal Party and for himself as prime minister on a couple of grounds.”
Both at home and abroad, Trudeau found himself beleaguered in 2023. Internationally, the twin conflicts in eastern Europe and the Middle East were accompanied by concerns over interference by foreign governments or their agents in Canada’s elections and internal affairs.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a prime minister face so many acute, difficult challenges simultaneously within such a short period of time,” Siemiatycki said.
Domestically, experts agree that the rising cost of living and the housing crisis were what turned some voters against the Liberals. This comes as Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre maintained a consistent lead in the polls in 2023. Polling by Ipsos, provided exclusively to Global News, has shown twice in the last two months that between 69 and 73 per cent of Canadians believe Trudeau should step down now. Among those who identify as Liberal Party supporters, one in three think it’s time for a new party leader.
Amid a record year for wildfires in Canada, a majority of Canadians said they wanted the federal government to do more to stop the climate crisis from getting worse – but worry about increased costs to them. The government’s immigration policies have also been becoming unpopular, with a majority of Canadians believing that higher immigration levels were causing the housing crisis to get worse.
For many, affordability is top of mind. A recent poll said one in four Canadians are worried that their income is not enough to meet basic needs.
Toronto Police say five people have been injured and four of them have been arrested after a crash in Scarborough involving a stolen vehicle.
Parents in the Halifax area are voicing concerns as children have been finding drug paraphernalia in their neighbourhoods. In one case, a child was pricked by a discarded needle.
Voters in Nova Scotia are heading to the polls today as the province holds an election to determine if Tim Houston and the Progressive Conservatives will remain in power.
On Monday, Trump vowed to slap a 25 per cent tariff on all products coming from Canada and Mexico on his first day back in office.
'A cherished member of the theatre community, his presence brought joy, heart and depth to every role, and his artistic contributions — and big hugs — will be deeply missed'
An Ontario man was restrained with duct tape last week after allegedly trying to open the door of a plane mid-flight, called himself the “captain" and injuring a flight attendant.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on Monday called on provinces to 'step up' and get on board with the Liberals' plan to grant a tax holiday on some items for two months.
As authorities investigate the deaths of six tourists in Laos, here's what Canadians need to know about recognizing and preventing methanol poisoning while travelling.
Danielle Smith said the Alberta government is looking for ways to encourage pipeline companies to boost capacity and increase Alberta's oil and gas export volumes to the U.S.
'She thinks she's playing Robin Hood, and in actuality, she's putting these fishermen in a worse-off situation than they currently are,' one licence-holder said.
The Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie in Ontario say they expect to turn away 650 women and children this year for service. It's a problem seen across Canada.