‘No. Absolutely not’: Trudeau says he doesn’t regret calling election during 4th wave – National

After weeks of being criticized by opposition leaders for pushing the country into federal elections during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau stands firmly behind his decision.

Speaking to reporters during Friday’s press conference, Trudeau was asked if he had any regrets about triggering the election and sending Canadians to vote.

“No. Absolutely not,” said the Liberal leader.

“Whatever (Canadian) government is elected will make a decision in the coming months – not a year from now, not two years from now, but now – on how we move forward. .”

Trudeau has repeatedly pointed to the election as essential as the government decides how to navigate to end the COVID-19 pandemic, saying Canadians “should have a very clear understanding” of “how they want to end the pandemic.” this translation”.

However, that message failed to connect with many Canadians, who said they never wanted an election in the first place.

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Just a month ago, 56% of Canadians disagreed with the need for an election, according to an Ipsos poll. But instead of fading as Canadians accepted the looming vote, that number has grown.

Now, 68% of Canadians say they don’t think an election is necessary, according to an Ipsos poll released on Thursday.

“I’ve never seen an example where people can’t get over why an election is being held – never seen this before,” said Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs. this”.

Anger over the election call has not abated among opposition leaders, who have repeatedly attacked the Liberals over the issue of calling the election. As party leaders begin their final pre-election debate on Thursday night, Trudeau must once again get excited about the decision.

“You put your own political interests above the happiness of thousands of people. Leadership is about putting others first, not yourself, Mr. Trudeau. You shouldn’t have called this election,” said Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, referring to the recent evacuations from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh also criticized Trudeau on the issue.

“It is a bad decision to call an election while this crisis is unfolding, especially since we have allies on the ground who have put their lives at risk to support the Our Canadian forces who are now facing danger to their lives and may never get out of Afghanistan,” Singh said.

Green Party leader Annamie Paul also concurred, saying that “walking to Rideau Hall and calling for an election under these circumstances is not the right thing to do.”

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The election campaign also continues to grow as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, primarily due to an increase in spread among unvaccinated populations. Canada reported more than 4,000 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total number of active cases nationwide to more than 38,000.

From August 30 to September 6, the number of hospitalizations also increased, according to Health Canada. The number of patient beds using COVID-19 increased from 877 to 1,070. The number of COVID-19 intensive care beds also increased, from 411 to 533. In addition, the number of COVID-19 patients requiring mechanical ventilation has skyrocketed – from 177 to 241.

Still, Trudeau made a decision on Friday, with Canadians set to go to the polls in less than two weeks.

“These kids, they haven’t been vaccinated yet. And Erin O’Toole says it doesn’t matter when you get on a plane or train, maybe the person sitting across from your child isn’t vaccinated,” he said.

“It is not about punishing people. It’s about making sure that the people who did the right things to keep their communities safe continue to be safe. That is what is at stake here in this election. That’s why we have this election.”

– With files from Global News ‘Ahmar Khan