The COVID-19 pandemic presents a challenge to governments around the world. In Canada, Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government are in the spotlight. With regards to how the federal government is handling the COVID-19 pandemic, general confidence in government has increased. But this confidence is not necessarily applicable to the Liberal party. Justin Trudeau may have thought that by having an early election towards the end of the pandemic, more people would be satisfied with his leadership and feel inclined to re-elect him. However, this doesn’t appear to be the case, as the current polls show the alternating leads between the conservative and liberal parties. To some, Trudeau has handled the pandemic with grace and leadership. To others, the Prime Minister has not done enough to accommodate citizens financially during the pandemic. There are clear differences in satisfaction with the government’s handling of the pandemic as conservative supporters are less supportive of Trudeau’s handling of the crisis.
As a two-term Prime Minister, Trudeau has more political experience in a high position of power, but that is nothing compared to Erin O’Toole’s skills and abilities as a natural leader. O’Toole presents himself as an intelligent, honest and friendly communicator. He uses these traits to his advantage by refusing to modify his character to please everyone. He supports lower taxes, public-private synergies for health care and other approaches to rebuilding our economy.
While Trudeau’s leadership skills may have grown over his term, they have not been beneficial to the aspects of Canada that need to be worked on, such as our economy. Now, Erin O’Toole is hoping to attract voters that have grown tired of two-term Liberals. As Trudeau uses his influence on the pandemic to have an early election, Erin O’Toole is using Trudeau’s failures to his advantage. He proposes that Canada’s COVID-19 recovery is best led by a new face. The change in leaders may bring about positive changes that Trudeau was not able to accomplish. But Trudeau's problem is not the relative strength of O'Toole, but rather the failures he experienced during his terms. His lack of success may not be enough incentive for Canadians to give him another term. It would be more beneficial to support Erin O’Toole’s new perspective as a fresh start. This is especially true after the unprecedented pandemic. As the end of the pandemic draws near, so does the opportunity for new beginnings.
So, I leave you with this: sometimes it’s better to try new things. If you are eligible to vote in this election, vote conservative because everyone should have an opportunity for a new start.
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