Maple Leaf Zeitgeist? Assessing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Policy Changes^*

Abstract

In the October 2015 elections, the charismatic Justin Trudeau led the Canadian Liberal Party to its first majority government in 15 years, overturning nearly a decade of conservative government. His premiership is generally considered to have begun well. This article examines Trudeau’s conduct of the election campaign, his choice of a young and diverse Cabinet, his courtship of the media and image making, and assesses changes in foreign and domestic policy. These have yet to prove substantive but Trudeau has signalled a reversal of Stephen Harper’s conservative policies and especially in regard to migration has tapped into images of ‘compassionate Canadians’. In foreign policy, this has been evidenced in relations with the United States and with a re-engagement with the Commonwealth especially in its soft power aspects. Trudeau’s green credentials and stance on Climate Change are a contrast to those of his predecessor but he has yet to confront the different environmental profiles and policies of the Canadian states. Canada’s Strategic Partnership with the European Community and the ratification of CETA are priorities and he has to come to terms with the implications of Brexit.

Keywords:

• Pierre Trudeau
• Canada
• Liberal Party
• Stephen Harper
• Conservative Party
• New Democratic Party
• immigration
• multiculturalism

Notes

1. Barbara Messamore (2016) ‘Justin Trudeau and Canada’s 2015 election’, The Round Table, 105(1), p. 83.

2. Jessica Murphy, ‘Trudeau gives Canada first cabinet with equal number of men and women’, The Guardian, 4 November 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/04/canada-cabinet-gender-diversity-justin-trudeau.

3. In late May 2016, however, the Cabinet Minister for Fisheries, First Nations MP Hunter Tootoo from Nunavut, resigned citing substance dependence, and was swiftly replaced by House Leader MP Dominic LeBlanc. Hailing from New Brunswick, LeBlanc’s father, Romeo LeBlanc originally held the same post. Trudeau accepted the resignation, but there was little comment on the nature of the dependence itself. LeBlanc currently remains Leader of House. Latest information can be found at http://www.lgc.gc.ca/eng/content/government-canada-introduces-legislation-establish-national-security-and-intelligence.

4. Murphy (2015) The Guardian, op. cit.

5. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/magazine/trudeaus-canada-again.html?_r=0.

6. Bruce Cheadle, ‘Justin Trudeau says image-making is a part of democratic governance’, Telegraph Journal, 18 December 2015, p. A7.

7. Cheadle (2015) Telegraph Journal, op. cit.

8. Gaby Hinsliff, ‘There is a vision of what a progressive Britain could be. It’s called Canada’, The Guardian, 31 March 2016, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/31/vision-of-progressive-britain-called-canada-justin-trudeau-trudeaumania.

9. Hinsliff (2016) The Guardian, op. cit.

10. Hinsliff (2016) The Guardian, op. cit.

11. Hinsliff (2016) The Guardian, op. cit.

12. CBC News, 27 November 2015, http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/queen-trudeau-commonwealth-leaders-summit-1.3339300.

13. Messamore (2016, p. 83).

14. Hinsliff (2016) The Guardian, op. cit.

15. Alex Consiglio, ‘Saint John leading provincial refugee resettlement’, Telegraph Journal, 25 February 2016.

16. Laverne Stewart, ‘Province urges Ottawa to expedite funding for refugees with children’, Telegraph Journal, 5 March 2016, p. 12.

17. Rebecca Howland, ‘Everything from Arabic signs to halal meat as hotel fills up, Telegraph Journal, 7 March 2016.

18. Messamore (2016, p. 82).

19. Hinsliff (2016) The Guardian, op. cit.

20. Jeremy Kinsman, ‘Trudeau’s summitry marathon—impact without the pirouettes’, Policy, January/February 2016, p. 28.

21. Suzanne Goldenberg, ‘“A friend to count on”: Trudeau may be Obama’s successor on the global stage’, The Guardian, 3 November 2016.

22. For details of the ‘first official visit to the US’, see the official factsheet from the Government of Canada, http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2016/03/10/fact-sheet-canada-united-states-neighbours-partners-allies.

23. Goldenberg (2016) The Guardian, op. cit.

24. Chris Cobb, ‘Justin Trudeau could be a fresh face for a Commonwealth in need of renewal’, Ottawa Citizen, 23 November 2015, http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/trudeau-could-be-a-fresh-face-for-a-commonwealth-in-need-of-renewal.

25. Rosemary Barton, ‘Government announces $2.65B to help developing countries fight climate change’, CBC News, 27 November 2015, http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/funding-for-climate-change-chogm-1.3339907.

26. Cobb (2015) Ottawa Citizen, op. cit

27. Cobb (2015).

28. Hans Von Der Burchard, ‘EU and Canada revive stalled trade deal’, Politico, 29 February 2016.

29. Roslyn Kunin & Associates, Inc., Global Affairs Canada, ‘Economic Impact of International Education in Canada’, July 2016, http://www.international.gc.ca/education/report-rapport/impact-2016/index.aspx?lang=eng.

30. Simon Doyle, ‘Canada urges EU members to back trade deal’, Financial Times, 21 July 2016, https://www.ft.com/content/10150f1e-4d41-11e6-8172-e39ecd3b86fc.

31. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-eu-parliament-schulz-ceta-1.3415689.

32. Mike Blanchfield, ‘British envoy welcomes Trudeau support of Britain in EU referendum’, The Chronicle Journal, 20 May 2016, http://www.chroniclejournal.com/news/national/british-envoy-welcomes-trudeau-support-of-britain-in-eu-referendum/article_dfe5d7fe-156e-5723-9a39-4c6ccbbffbc2.html.

33. See http://www.euractiv.com/section/trade-society/news/eu-canada-summit-hangs-in-doubt-ceta-fate-uncertain/.

34. http://www.euractiv.com/section/trade-society/news/eu-leaders-on-collision-course-with-commission-over-ceta/.

35. British Influence and Anthony Bailey Consulting (2016) ‘Brexit: The Commonwealth Dimension’. London, June, p. 50, www.britishinfluence.org.

36. Kinsman (2016, p. 28).

37. Kinsman (2016, p. 28).

38. ‘Canadim’, 20 October 2015, http://www.canadim.com/justin-trudeau-canadian-immigration/.

39. ‘Canadim’ (2015).

40. The 10 Liberal proposals to the immigration system are as follows. (1) Double the number of immigration applications allowed for parents and grandparents’ sponsorship from 5,000 to 10,000 visas per year. (2) Double the budget for processing family class immigration applications to reduce wait times. (3) Increase points allocation to applicants who have siblings in Canada on their Express Entry application. (4) Lift the visa requirement for Mexican travel to Canada. (5) Eliminate the $1,000 Labour Market Impact Assessment fee for families seeking caregivers to care for family members with physical or mental disabilities. (6) Restoring free access to healthcare for refugee/asylum seekers pending a decision on their case by the government. (7) They have pledged to make it easier for international students to achieve Canadian citizenship. The exact details are not specified, but they have stated they will do this by making adjustments to the Canadian Experience Class programme that will ‘remove barriers’ to international students. (8) Restore the Canadian citizenship residency time credit for international students in Canada. (9) Bypass the two-year waiting period for ‘conditional permanent residence’for spouses of sponsored individuals. (10) Restore the maximum age for dependants from 19 to 22, making it easier for immigrants to bring their older children to Canada.

41. Kinsman (2016).