Aside from the general fatigue with the Liberal Party, as some media outlets describe it, the following events and factors also did not help Trudeau’s standing in the eyes of Canadian voters:
- Canada’s relations with China, as well as with countries such as India and Saudi Arabia, soured after Trudeau’s election in 2015, as the Canadian government seems keen to follow the US’ lead when it comes to foreign policy;
- In 2017, Trudeau became embroiled in a political scandal caused by revelations that he accepted gifts and private island vacations from Aga Khan, leader of the Shia Ismaili religion, whose foundation ended up receiving millions of dollars of Canadian federal funding in 2016;
- A veritable political scandal erupted in 2019 amid allegations that Trudeau’s office pressured Canada’s minister of justice to intervene in an ongoing criminal case against SNC-Lavalin construction company;
- Trudeau’s handling of the so-called Freedom Convoy – a protest by Canadian truckers against the anti-COVID measures and lockdowns imposed by Ottawa – which included mass arrests and freezing of the protesters’ bank accounts, also did not endear the prime minister to his constituents;
- In September 2023, the Canadian government committed a faux pas of colossal proportions by toasting Ukrainian ex-Waffen SS member Yaroslav Hunka in Canada’s parliament, who was initially presented as a WWII veteran who “fought against Russia”;
- Last month’s revelations, such as those coming from Fitch Ratings, suggest that Canada's budget deficit continues to grow, and it remains unclear whether Trudeau has a recipe to deal with this problem.