Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the growing opposition to progressive political policies during his speech at the Global Progress Action Summit in Montreal. He acknowledged that citizens are facing difficulties such as mortgage payments, affordability of apartments, and rising grocery bills. Trudeau emphasized the importance of addressing these concerns and connecting with the people’s worries about the future, both for themselves and their children. He also highlighted the need for progressive leaders to respond to the concerns expressed by the population in order to establish a connection.
During the panel discussion at the summit, Trudeau was joined by the former prime ministers of New Zealand and Finland, Jacinda Ardern and Sanna Marin, as well as Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr. Trudeau affirmed that his government’s priority is to strengthen the middle class and promote economic policies that support this goal. The Canada Child Benefit was specifically mentioned as an example of a policy aimed at achieving this objective. Trudeau also emphasized the importance of reconciliation with indigenous groups, not only for moral reasons but also as a means of building trust and partnerships for resource development projects.
The Global Progress Action Summit, organized by Canada 2020, brought together political leaders, policy experts, and stakeholders from 15 countries. Canada 2020 is a think-tank that advocates for politically progressive policy ideas and is chaired by Mark Carney, the former governor of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England.
Trudeau’s Liberal Party has faced challenges recently, with the Conservatives leading in the polls by a double-digit margin. According to Abacus Data, if an election were held today, the Conservatives would garner 41 percent of the vote, followed by the Liberals at 26 percent, the NDP at 18 percent, and the Bloc Québécois at 6 percent.
The Global Progress Action Summit took place just before the reconvening of the House of Commons on September 18. The Liberal Party has identified affordability and public safety as their legislative priorities for the fall session and has announced plans to table a pharmacare bill and remove GST on new rental constructions.