Justin Trudeau confirms Canada election on September 20, seeking majority win
- ‘We’ve had your back, and now it’s time to hear your voice,’ Trudeau said. ‘Canadians need to choose how we finish the fight against Covid-19’
- Trudeau is not as popular as he once was, but his government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has been widely viewed as a success
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau triggered an election on Sunday as he seeks to capitalise on Canada being one of the most fully vaccinated countries in the world.
Trudeau announced the election would be held on September 20 after visiting the governor general, who holds a mostly ceremonial position representing Britain’s Queen Elizabeth as head of state.
“We’ve had your back, and now it’s time to hear your voice,” Trudeau said. “Canadians need to choose how we finish the fight against Covid-19.”
Trudeau is seeking to win a majority of seats in Parliament. His Liberal Party fell just short of that two years ago and must rely on the opposition to pass legislation.
The election comes as Canada is experiencing a new wave of Covid-19 cases, apparently driven by the Delta variant of the coronavirus.
Trudeau is not as popular as he once was, but his government’s handling of the pandemic has been widely viewed as a success. After a slow start Canada now has enough vaccine for every citizen. More than 71 per cent of eligible Canadians are full vaccinated and over 82 per cent have received at least one dose. The government has spent billions to prop up the economy amid lockdowns that have now lifted.
