Canada elections: Barack Obama backs Justin Trudeau

It will provide momentum to the campaign of the incumbent Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to return to power in Ottawa, though the likelihood is he will again command a minority government.

Justin Trudeau’s electoral campaign on Thursday received an unexpected boost from his friend and former US president Barack Obama who backed him for another term. Former US president Barack Obama tweeted, “Wishing my friend Justin Trudeau the best in Canada’s upcoming election. Justin has been an effective leader and strong voice for democratic values, and I’m proud of the work we did together.”

In this March 10, 2016 photo, President Barack Obama during his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Barack Obama endorsed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , calling him an effective leader in a rare endorsement of a candidate in a Canadian election by a former American president. (AP)

That boost came as Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau’s central theme for the 2021 federal elections of focusing on mandating vaccinations received more support as two holdout Western provinces Alberta and Saskatchewan announced plans for introducing vaccine passports.

As cases in those provinces surged during the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, those developments will only provide momentum to the campaign of the incumbent Prime Minister to return to power in Ottawa, though the likelihood is he will again command a minority government.

Across the country, daily cases rose by 3,957, to a total of 1,563,383. Alberta alone contributed 1,718 new cases. Starting September 20, the province will require those seeking to enter non-essential businesses, like restaurants and gyms, to provide proof of at least a dose of a vaccine, rising to both does on October 25.

“Just a few days ago, Mr O’Toole was still applauding Kenney for his management of the pandemic. That’s at the heart of the choice Canadians need to make in this election,” Justin Trudeau said during a campaign stop in Montreal. Speaking in French, he added, “He’s not the right leader to put an end to this pandemic. Do we stand up even stronger in our fight against this pandemic, or do we give in to anti-vaxxers in the Conservative Party and go ahead with half-measures?” according to the outlet CBC News.

Erin O’Toole has opposed mandates on the public service and on travelling domestically by air or train. Erin O’Toole and Jason Kenney were colleagues in the cabinet of former prime Minister Stephen Harper.

But the platform of Trudeau’s management of Covid-19 has strengthened and is now the main issue of concern for Canadians ahead of voting on Monday. It has drowned out other issues like the economy, even though Statistics Canada reported this week that inflation was at a three-decade peak in the country. While Erin O’Toole is favoured in various surveys on fiscal matters, Justin Trudeau scores high on the pandemic, and the latter issue could prove decisive.

But the Liberal Party is still not close to majority territory. According to the CBC Poll Tracker, it has 31.7% vote share translating to 150 seats, while the Conservatives are at 31.2% and 120 seats.

In 2019, the ruling party garnered 157 seats, 13 short of the majority mark in the House of Commons while the Conservatives had 121.

The poll tracker gave Justin Trudeau just a 12% chance of getting a majority with the likelihood of another minority at 59%.