Guest column: Trump’s win will bring boost to floundering Trudeau

Article content

By: Warren Kinsella

The happiest Canadian on Wednesday was Justin Trudeau.

Some conservatives will be happy, of course. There’s always been some Trump fans on Canada’s right.

But the happiest guy of all? It is the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Here’s why:

For months now, Trudeau has been very, very unpopular. The gap has been as much as 20 points, for more than a year.

Article content

As such, he has thrown everything at the wall to see what would stick. Abortion, hidden agenda, foreign interference, you name it. But none of it has worked.

Until now. Until Donald Trump came “roaring back,” as the New York Times put it, with a big, big win in the electoral college. Trump becomes the first Republican presidential candidate to win the popular vote in 20 years.

But that’s American politics, which the commentariat will be endlessly debating for the next two years, until the 2026 midterms. Or, at least until JD Vance figures out a way to drive an aging Trump out using the 25th amendment.

This writer helped win a few major majority governments up here in Canada. Along the way, I learned that Canadian voters have a very different set of priorities. And, with Wednesday’s announcement of Trump’s win, I guarantee you — absolutely guarantee you — that many, many of them are full-on freaking out.

Not Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau has been thrown a lifeline by millions of American voters who grabbed the steering wheel and yanked it to the right. At some point, the prime minister will come out looking somber and serious. He will stand before a gaggle of microphones.

Article content

He will say three things. One, he will say that he has reached out to Donald Trump to offer his congratulations (I doubt he got through). Two, he will say that his government will continue to put the priorities of Canadians first, and continue to work closely with our most important ally and trading partner.

And then, third — in response to a question from somebody at CBC or the Toronto Star — he will say that it is now more important than ever before that Canada has a progressive team to protect Canada’s interests. He will say that part with the appropriate level of drama and passion. He will say “progressive” 100 times, if he can.

And you know what? Many Canadians — who to this point have deeply disliked Trudeau — will agree with that. And, soon enough, the polls will reflect that.

Will it be enough to bridge a 20-point gap? Not right away.

But Trump’s MAGA party now controls the U.S. Senate and soon will control the House of Representatives. He will have total dominance. In the coming months, Ukraine will slip under the waves, having been abandoned by the United States. Trump will look the other way as the Chinese Communist Party finally makes its move on Taiwan. In the coming months, Europe will turn inward and NATO will be on its way to becoming a Wikipedia entry, and not much else.

Article content

It’s at that point that Canadians will really and truly start to freak out. And they will start considering who they should be voting for.

I do not believe, not for a moment, that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is indifferent to the fate of Ukraine, Taiwan, NATO or global stability. I think he has grown in his job. I think it would be unfair to call him a Trumper.

But politics isn’t fair. And Justin Trudeau is going to be working very hard to give Pierre Poilievre a shiny new MAGA tattoo. It may even work.

Sometime during Tuesday night everything changed. For the United States, for Europe, and even for little old Canada. It’s about to get really bouncy.

And, if you look closely enough, you will see Justin Trudeau suppressing a smile.

Article content