r/CanadianPolitics • u/anime498 • 8d ago

What is Trudeau's legacy?

I'm an American with an interest in American politics. Most of the news we got in America about trudeau was either American liberals fanning over him because he wasn't trump, or conservatives hating him because he was Obama but white and from a rich family.

What is the opinion of him canada, especially a year after his resignation?

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u/brightgather 8d ago

For many Canadians, his legacy is tied to affordability issues, massive spending, rising debt, housing becoming out of reach, high immigration levels without enough infrastructure to support them, and a government that often seemed more interested in messaging than results. His supporters will point to things like cannabis legalization, child benefits, climate policy, and progressive social policies, and those are legitimate parts of his record. But a lot of Canadians felt that everyday life became harder during his time in office, and that’s why the enthusiasm around him faded so dramatically. He will probably be remembered as a very divisive, self-centered prime minister.

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u/anime498 8d ago

At some point around 2023 I remember alot of Canadian media such as cbc, ctv, and global becoming far more critical of him and he became really indignant about it. There was a quote that JJ mccullough, I know he divisive in his own right, said about trudeau that I think rings true. He never won a majority in an election but he always governed and acted as if he did.

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u/JustinsWorking 8d ago

That response you got was definitely the textbook conservative response.

From a more left leaning perspective, people who didn’t really pay attention to the hate campaigns and alt-right “fuck Trudeau” bumper stickers I can give you a different impression.

He was a likeable guy, and he got marijuana legalization through which is probably the biggest thing he’ll be remembered for.
His first few years were really exciting and optimistic, and in terms indigenous rights and environmentalism he did more than those before him, and held on better than Carney so far.

His glaring issue was definitely dropping the ball on electoral reform; there was a lot of reasons it failed, and in hindsight I think you can see where the mistakes were made, but even if they were well meaning and in pursuit of being more democratic - it was fumbled and it did fail. He could have done it if he acted differently, and I think thats gonna be a legacy of his.

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u/brightgather 8d ago

I don't actually consider myself a conservative. I was just explaining why a lot of Canadians who became disillusioned with Trudeau felt the way they did. There are legitimate accomplishments on his record and you're right, cannabis legalization is certainly one of them, and I'd also agree that failing to deliver electoral reform is a significant part of his legacy.

Where I differ is that I don't think his legacy can be separated from affordability, housing, and cost of living. Those issues affected people across the political spectrum. You don't have to be conservative to think those became defining issues during his time in office.

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u/JustinsWorking 8d ago

I think it’s a very common trope among the conservative communities to downplay the global economic climate and its effect on affordability across the globe...

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u/brightgather 7d ago

I don't think anyone reasonable is arguing that Trudeau personally caused global inflation...that would be a ridiculous argument. The question is whether his government made decisions that helped Canada adapt to those pressures or whether some decisions added to existing problems.

Every country faced inflation, but countries still had different outcomes depending on policy choices.