Just in: On Trudeau’s return

Context:

• The re-election in Monday’s federal polls challenges Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to pursue the ruling Liberal party’s core agenda on race, refugees, gender and the environment — which secured him his first term in 2015. 
• Short of at least 13 seats for a majority of 170 in the House of Commons, he will now depend on broadly left-of-centre parties as he sets out to run a minority government. Among them is the New Democratic Party (NDP) of Jagmeet Singh with 24 seats.

Why does it significant?

Monday’s verdict also affords Mr. Trudeau another chance to rebuild his tarnished domestic record of recent months. 

1. Nevertheless, young Canadian voters felt in the poll run-up that Mr. Trudeau had failed to live up to his promise in his 2015 bid of “sunny ways” in politics. 
2. The perception grew following accusations that he had interfered with investigations into allegations of corruption by the engineering multinational SNC-Lavalin. 
3. Matters were made worse when Jody Wilson-Raybould, the charismatic former Attorney General and Justice Minister, was first shifted and then dropped from the Liberal party. 

Major achievements of Trudeau’s government:

1. His government has made major strides in reducing child poverty.
2. Introduction of a carbon tax.
3. The legalisation of recreational cannabis. 

On the world stage, 

1. His robust defence of globalisation and multilateralism helped ease tensions during the 2018 Group of 7 nations gathering. 
2. More concrete were his efforts to renegotiate the regional trade pact with the U.S. and Mexico.

Conclusion:

With their fresh mandate, the Liberals ought to rethink their general stance in order to live down their image as those who all-too-easily sacrifice principles. Leading a minority government, Mr. Trudeau would be aware of the task that lies ahead.