Justin Trudeau Wins On Promise Of Change

Justin Trudeau, the newly-elected prime minister of Canada, said he aims to restore the reputation of the country as a defender of the rights of minorities as well as increase the role of the country in multi-lateral policymaking when it comes to issues.

Trudeau had a simple message to supporters during a rally in Ottawa as many Canadians are worried that the country has lost its constructive and compassionate voice in the world in the last ten years. The message was, “We’re back.”

The statement highlighted the main principle of the Liberal campaign in the last two month, which concluded with the party winning majority of seats in parliament. The prime minister-elect promised to work for everyone and avoid divisive strategies that he said was used by the Conservative Party in the last ten years.

The climate change conference in Paris next month was identified by Justin Trudeau as an opportunity to change the foreign affairs approach of the country. Canada has been criticized by environmentalists for impeding moves in reducing carbon emissions and after it decided to abandon the Kyoto protocol.

The 43-year-old liberal has to deal with numerous policy challenges, particularly in the economy. He has to deal with the pressure to stimulate growth as well as fulfill his promise of change. One of his campaign promises was to reduce middle-class taxes while increasing taxes for the top 1 percent earners. He also promised to create 60 billion Canadian dollars worth of infrastructure projects to stimulate growth.

A note from Nomura Securities to clients revealed that the move of the Liberal in using fiscal policy to stimulate growth is beneficial for the current state of the economy as growth may remain below trend for a good period of time.

One major point in the Liberal platform is to increase spending and allow deficits for three years, which sets it apart from the Conservative Party. One hundred eighty-four seats in the 338-seat Canadian legislature were won by the Liberals. On the other hand, the Conservatives won 99.

Justin Trudeau Wins On Promise Of Change - image credit: ibtimes.com

Outgoing Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper said during the campaign that increasing spending and taxes may put economic growth at risk and result to job losses.

Following his victory, Justin Trudeau greeted and thanked commuters at a subway station in Montreal. However, most of the work as prime minister has yet to start. Penny Collenette said the prime minister’s job is nothing compared to running a campaign since it is a 24-hour job. Collenette was an adviser to former Prime Minister Jean Chretien.

The new prime minister will have to work on stricter measures on carbon emissions. He is also planning to talk with the premiers of the provinces of Canada to create a climate change policy that he can bring to the environmental summit next month.

The record of Canada regarding climate change under Harper was criticized since it did not deal with carbon emissions. This posed an obstacle to the case of Canada for the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, a charge rejected by Harper.

Premier Kathleen Wynne of Ontario, a staunch Justin Trudeau supporter, said she is expecting a more cooperative relationship with the federal government. The most populous province of Canada is currently dealing with a number of issues, including climate change policies and additional investments in infrastructure.

Wynne said the first sign of the partnership will be seen at the climate change conference in Paris along with the commitment of Justin Trudeau in working with the provinces to support their initiatives in reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. The new prime minister is also aiming to restore relations with the United States, which was adversely affected by the focus of Harper on the Keystone approval.

Despite his inexperience, Justin Trudeau won the election based on his promise of change. The campaign of the Conservatives emphasized the leadership of Harper who led Canada as it was left relatively unaffected by the financial crisis. Trudeau was described as not being ready by the ads. However, the recent economic slump leading to a contracting in the economy of Canada spoiled the record of Harper.

Trudeau promised an inclusive government supporting the middle class while acquiring strength from the diversity of the country during a speech to his supporters at a hotel in Montreal. The campaign for change of Trudeau was appealing to voters who supported the Conservatives in the past.

Harper conceded defeat at the headquarters of the Conservatives in Calgary. While the outcome disappointed him, he said he had no regrets. He added that Canadians elected a Liberal government, which he will “accept without hesitation.”

It may take a number of weeks before newly-elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will officially assume office.

Posted by James Fried on Wednesday October 21 2015, 10:52 AM EST. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0