Impeccable pedigree and great hair, but why is Justin Trudeau lagging as Canada’s election looms?

Justin Trudeau, the man who was supposed to lead Canada’s Liberals out of the political wilderness, has instead sunk to third place just months from an election, with some in his party complaining he is missing in action.

Born to a sitting prime minister and raised at the foot of power, he presents himself as a kinder, more approachable alternative to Prime Minister Stephen Harper after nine years of rule by the right-leaning Conservatives and three straight Liberal defeats.

But more than two years into his leadership of the once-powerful centrist Liberals, the 43-year-old father of three has struggled to define himself and been labelled by opponents as unready for office despite his prized political pedigree.

Some critics complain Trudeau, son of the late Pierre Trudeau, appears unwilling to go on the road and repeat his message enough times for it to sink in before the October 19 vote.

Former Liberal legislator Dennis Mills, who worked for Trudeau’s father - prime minister for 15 years ending in 1984 - took aim at Trudeau’s team, saying his handlers needed to be more aggressive.