Justin Trudeau will begin 2024 with the spirit of a boxer. After a 2023 that he himself describes as “difficult”, the Prime Minister is betting that time will work in his favor in his fight for victory against whoever is currently ahead of him in the polls Pierre Poilievre .
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As part of his lengthy year-end interview with Paul Larocque, Justin Trudeau touched on a number of hot topics, starting with his Conservative rival.
“The fight hasn’t really begun yet,” he says when asked about his numerous face-to-face meetings with conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
He believes Canadians will have to ask themselves the real questions in the election campaign in two years, but not before.
“Mr. Poilievre has not presented a plan, does not care about the environment and does not fight for women's rights,” says Justin Trudeau.
Photo agency QMI, PASCAL HUOT
He believes Pierre Poilievre is “doing things” that go against Quebec values and reiterates that Canadians will have to decide in the next election what kind of country they want to live in.
“I'm not fighting Poilievre, I'm fighting for Quebecers and Canadians. He’s fighting me, I don’t care,” the Liberal leader said.
He also reiterated that he was looking forward to the next elections and would definitely like to run for prime minister.
“A difficult year”
Justin Trudeau makes no secret of the fact that the last year has not been particularly easy for him and his government.
“It's been a tough year for everyone, but we continue to fight for the right things and are motivated,” says the Prime Minister.
The latest polls are not particularly positive for Justin Trudeau and his team.
For him it is primarily a reflection of social events.
“People are having a hard time, there is a lot of frustration. It is normal for them to blame those in power,” believes the Prime Minister.
Two years before the elections, he believes the polls don't say much.
“We must make all necessary efforts to solve these problems and find solutions to restore confidence in people, in our country, in our economy,” he emphasizes.
Inflation and the cost of living were particularly exciting topics last year.
Justin Trudeau hopes and expects interest rates to fall in 2024.
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“We have made sure that the Bank of Canada is fully aware that this is what we are hoping for, but we respect their independence,” the prime minister added.
Asked about his government's debt, Justin Trudeau believes the pandemic has exacerbated the situation.
“Yes, we have a deficit, but it is the smallest deficit of the G7 countries. “We have the best debt ratio relative to the size of the country,” explains the Prime Minister.
American presidency
The year 2024 will be marked by a race for the presidency of the United States that could herald the return of Donald Trump to the White House.
The Liberal leader admits from the start that it is never easy to compromise with Americans.
“Even Obama or Biden, we have differences,” he admits.
As for Trump, Justin Trudeau fears a possible backlash in several areas, including the environment and women's rights.
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“Unfortunately, with a Trump administration coming back, I'm very concerned about the planet and the environment when he returns,” added Justin Trudeau, who says he's getting along well with the Biden administration.
However, he points out that during Donald Trump's presidency it was possible to advance several issues, including the renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico agreement.
Relations with Quebec
Relations between Canada and the provinces, particularly Quebec, have been stormy at times in recent months.
“It is true that there are things on which I disagree with the Quebec government, but on many things we agree,” emphasizes the Prime Minister.
Last dispute in the race: the files of English-speaking universities.
“We are the first to recognize that more needs to be done to protect the French in Quebec, but there are ways to do it and I am concerned about the approach taken,” emphasizes Mr. Trudeau.
Like the federal government, François Legault's government also suffered a decline in voting intentions in favor of the Parti Québécois, a sovereigntist group.
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Justin Trudeau says this is symptomatic of the government's frustration in difficult months.
“The PQ presents itself as an alternative. […] I, in my conversations with people, with citizens, there aren't many people yet who talk to me about sovereignty. This is not a conversation about the nation of Quebec,” he states.
His children, his pride
Justin Trudeau bluntly admits that his children are a source of great pride for him.
His eldest, Xavier, 16, is now 1.90 meters tall, making him taller than the prime minister.
Her youngest daughter, Ella-Grace, is 14, almost 15, and does ballet. “She is becoming an extraordinary young woman,” says Justin Trudeau.
The youngest, Hadrien, 9 years old, has an independent and very curious mind, according to his father, who also believes he will become an engineer.
Will his children continue the family tradition of entering politics? No chance, believes the Prime Minister.
“There is no one who becomes a politician. […] We have been giving a lot to public service for two generations, it is not an easy task,” admits Justin Trudeau.
He emphasizes that his children are doing well. “We try to give them as much stability as possible,” he says, referring to his split from Sophie Grégoire earlier this year.
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“We remain friends, we will even go on vacation together after Christmas,” admits the Prime Minister.
He wants Sophie Grégoire and him to continue to be partners when it comes to their children.
The Prime Minister appears to have no one else in his life and admits that his political and parental duties take up a significant portion of his schedule.