On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Trudeau says he understands Canadian 'frustration'

CBC
Mon, September 23, 2024 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, appeared as a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Monday. (Blair Gable/Reuters; Ringo Chiu/Reuters - image credit)


Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used his debut appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Monday to make his case for another term despite facing existential challenges to his leadership and mounting "frustration" from Canadians struggling with the cost of living.

Sitting for the late night talk show interview the day before a non-confidence motion against his government, Trudeau was asked why his political opponents might be trying to get him out of office after nearly a decade in power. In response, Trudeau said he believed the cost of living is to blame.

"Well, it is a really tough time in Canada right now. People are hurting. People are having trouble paying for groceries, paying for rent, filling up the tank… We've lost a little ground over the past decades on building houses, so the housing crisis is a little sharper," he said.

People 'sometimes looking at change'

Trudeau said he believes Canada's economic outlook is slightly more positive than the United States' "on a macro level," but conceded Canadians "don't feel it when they're buying groceries.

"People are frustrated and the idea that maybe they want an election now is something that my opponents are trying to bank on because... People are taking a lot out on me for understandable reasons. I've been here and I've been steering us through all these things and people are sometimes looking at change," he continued.

Trudeau said he was determined to "keep fighting" for another term as prime minister.

The exchange was the most pointed during an interview with a largely sunny tone, despite the prime minister facing a far darker mood in Ottawa. Trudeau's government is expected to face a non-confidence motion Tuesday from the Conservative party, which is riding a double-digit advantage in the polls.

The motion would be the first step toward an early election if passed, but it is destined to fail as the NDP and Bloc Quebecois have already said they will vote it down and allow the Liberals to survive.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, flanked by his security, waves as he arrives to the CBS studios for the filming of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" in New York on Sept. 23, 2024.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, flanked by his security, waves as he arrives to the CBS studios for the filming of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in New York on Monday. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

Still, the political play is another test of Trudeau's leadership after a bruising summer that ended with the Liberals losing the governance agreement with the NDP and two long-held seats in a pair of byelections.

Aside from the brief exchange about the non-confidence vote, Colbert and Trudeau bantered throughout most of the interview Monday about trivial questions Americans might have for Canadians — like why Canadian change ends up in Americans' pockets, whether Canadian bacon is the same as ham and whether the nation "burned" money with the image of the late Queen Elizabeth after her death in 2022.

Trudeau did not take an opportunity to criticize Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre when Colbert said the latter has been referred to as "Canada's Trump." Instead, the prime minister responded with common campaign points about the Liberals' policies on climate change, dental care and $10-a-day childcare.

Trudeau also sidestepped a joke about a conspiracy theory falsely claiming Haitian immigrants were eating cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio, which was repeated by former U.S. president Donald Trump during a presidential debate.

"I'm gonna move right past that one," Trudeau said.

Colbert did not otherwise ask Trudeau to weigh in on the U.S. presidential election between Trump and Vice-President Kamala Harris.

The interview was shot during Trudeau's trip to New York, where Trudeau met with leaders ahead of the 78th gathering of the United Nations General Assembly. The Late Show is largely tailored to an American audience but airs in Canada. Interview clips are also shared across Instagram and TikTok, where the show has nearly five million followers.

RuPaul Charles, the host of the show RuPaul's Drag Race, was also a guest on Monday but did not interact with Trudeau. The prime minister made an appearance on the Canadian version of the drag queen competition series last year.

• Trudeau on Colbert: From representing ‘Canada with class’ to ‘campaign propaganda', Canadians divided over PM's late-night interview
  
  Canadians are breaking down Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's performance Stephen Colbert's American talk show following his appearance Monday night as he faces a non-confidence motion
  
  
  
  
  Joy Joshi
  ·Writer, Yahoo News Canada
  Tue, Sept 24, 2024
• 
  

  Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Monday night appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was one of the top trending conversations online, as the Liberal Party leader’s performance was picked apart by Canadians.

  PM Trudeau, who has been tanking in polls amid recent setbacks between losses in key Liberal strongholds and losing the support of the NDP at the federal level, kicked off the week fielding questions about Canada’s changing political landscape and the key challenges faced by Canadians on a daily basis.

  The PM noted how Canadians are going through a “tough time” and are “taking a lot out on me for understandable reasons” since he is the one steering the ship through current problems facing the country.

  Many people thanked him for being a “true leader” in acknowledging the dissatisfaction among Canadians towards him while also drawing comparisons with Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.

  PM Trudeau making a case for Canadians and bringing up issues where Canada is leading on at the world stage — climate change, universal health care and dental care for low-income Canadians — resonated with many of his supporters.

  However, his critics remained unconvinced with many sharing their hot takes online and describing the discussion as “somewhat bland” while shifting the focus to the healthcare crisis and expensive groceries in Canada.

  Pierre Poilievre being referred to as ‘Canada’s Trump’ on Colbert’s show infuriates Conservative supporters

  A part of the night’s discussion was focused on Colbert asking Trudeau about the rise in far-right nationalism and the growing division among Canadians politically. Colbert also touched on Pierre Poilievre, who he said has been called “Canada’s Trump.” To which Trudeau responded saying “we’re not some magical place of unicorns and rainbows all the time.”

  Colbert saying that Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has been described as “Canada’s Trump” sparked mixed reactions from Canadians, some of whom found it funny while others took offence and called Trudeau’s appearance a “campaign propaganda.”

  Adding more to his response to Colbert on Canadians being divided, Trudeau cited an example of the Canada Dental Care Plan which he claims has helped 700,000 Canadians so far but the Conservative leader fails to acknowledge it.

  “There’s a big argument right now about whether dental care even exists,” Trudeau said.

  “We’ve delivered it to 700,000 people across the country and my opponent is gaslighting us and saying, ‘Dental care doesn’t even exist yet.'”

  Earlier in September, Conservative MP Stephen Ellis said the government failed in the delivery of subsidized dental care and claimed most Canadians don’t qualify for coverage or must still pay out of pocket for services.

  The Canada Dental Care Plan is accepting applications from people over the age of 65, for children under the age of 18 and those who receive the Disability Tax Credit. Additional eligibility phases will roll out next year.

  Applicants must first confirm before being enrolled with Sun Life, which manages the means-tested plan open to those whose adjusted family net income is less than $90,000 per year and who don’t have access to dental care programs through employer plans, private coverage, or student or pension benefits.

  Trudeau’s TV appearance comes in the same week a vote of no-confidence in his government is expected

  Justin Trudeau is set to face a non-confidence motion in the House of Commons this week. The motion was moved Tuesday morning by the Conservatives and is up for voting on Wednesday. If the Liberals are to lose, Canada could witness a snap-election. However, the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois have already hinted at supporting the Liberals in defeating the motion.

  The Prime Minister addressed the concerns of Canadians and the possibility of losing the top job as soon as the end of this week on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

  “It’s a really tough time for people in Canada right now,” Trudeau said.

  “People are hurting. People are having trouble paying for groceries, paying for rent, filling up the tank.”

  “People are frustrated and the idea that maybe they want an election now is something that my opponents are trying to bank on because people are taking a lot out on me, for understandable reasons,” he said. “I’ve been here, and I’ve been steering us through all these things and people are sometimes looking at change.”