On Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau called for an early election on September 20, two years ahead of schedule. The announcement was made after Trudeau visited Governor-General Mary Simon to ask her to dissolve the Parliament.
In his public address, Trudeau said, “As Canadians know, this is the moment we will be making decisions that will last not just for the coming months but for the coming decades. Canadians deserve their say, and that’s exactly what we’re going to give them.” He said a new mandate is needed to ensure voters approve of his Liberal government’s COVID-19 recovery plan.
Trudeau believes the move will secure the Liberal party a majority and give him another term. His faith in the Canadian voters is derived from the country’s efficient handling of the pandemic, with 71% of the eligible population fully vaccinated. If Trudeau gets a parliamentary majority, he would be able to pursue the fight against climate change and support those affected by the pandemic.
Although Trudeau seems confident that a snap election would ensure a win, a majority–poll prediction depicts a slightly different picture. Polls show that the Liberals will win their third consecutive election but may not regain a majority in the 338-seat House of Commons. To attain a majority, the Liberals require 170 seats in the 338-member House of Commons. “Nationally, Liberals would win 35% of the vote, compared with 30% for the main opposition Conservative Party and 19% for the left-leaning New Democrats,” a Leger Marketing poll suggested on August 12.
The decision to hold snap elections has triggered varied reactions. While a fragment of Liberal Canadians support Trudeau’s decision and consider it wise to act preemptively, keeping in mind the lack of significant opposition, others have condemned it.
Moreover, the elections will take place after a 36-day campaign beginning from late August, which raises concerns over the health hazard that it may pose amid the pandemic.
Furthermore, the Conservatives attribute the call for an early election as a “power-grab,” since the Liberals fear another minority rule. The leader of the Conservatives, Erin O’Toole, criticised Trudeau for calling an election as the country faces the fourth wave of COVID-19, saying it might overturn the progress Canada has made in battling the virus.
Daniel Beland, a political sociologist, predicts an uncertain voter turnout. He suggested that rising COVID-19 tensions, coupled with the eventual fading of Trudeau’s idiosyncratic charm, particularly to the youth, would weigh down the impact Trudeau envisions this snap election will have on the Canadian population.
Canadian PM Trudeau Calls for Snap Election in September to Secure Majority
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has called for an early election on September 20, two years ahead of schedule, banking on the government’s steadfast COVID-19 measures and successful vaccination programme.
August 17, 2021
SOURCE: LARS HAGBERG/REUTERS