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Trudeau on the defensive in the first televised debate | The World | DW

by Rex Daniel

Acting Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau defended himself on Wednesday (08/09/2021) against attacks by the leaders of the four main opposition political parties, during the campaign’s first televised national debate which will culminate in the federal election on September 20.

But Trudeau was unable to answer once again the main question haunting the Liberal Party and trailing it behind the Conservative Party in the polls: the reason for a snap election just 24 months after the previous election .

Trudeau, like the rest of the leaders in the debate, was asked to pledge not to hold an election for four years, if he wins the election without an absolute majority.

Justin Trudeau, who has not answered the question satisfactorily since the election campaign began, ignored the question and focused on attacking the Conservatives and their leader, Erin O’Toole.

The other four political leaders, O’Toole for the Conservatives, Jagmeet Singh, of the New Social Democratic Party (NDP), Yves-François Blanchet, of the sovereignist Bloque Quebec (BQ), and Annamie Paul, of the Green Party, not only are committed to respecting the four-year term, but have instead expressed their opposition to the early elections.

All four accused Trudeau of dissolving Parliament for partisan interests as polls indicated the Liberals could win the absolute majority they lost in the 2019 election, despite the election costing C $ 610 million ( approximately US $ 473 million) and will take place in the midst of the fourth wave of the pandemic.

The opposition message seems to have penetrated the electorate. A September 3 poll shows that 75% of Canadians do not consider the September 20 vote necessary and disapprove of Trudeau’s decision.

On Thursday, the same protagonists will have another opportunity to engage voters with the celebration of a second nationwide televised debate, this time in English.

gs (efe, ap, afp)

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