Voters in the United States will likely face a choice in the November presidential election between optimism for the future, or nostalgia for a past that never existed, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday.
And while a second Donald Trump presidency 91裸聊视频渨on91裸聊视频檛 be easy,91裸聊视频� Trudeau told a Montreal business audience, the federal government is prepared for that possibility.
Trudeau made the comments a day after Trump handily won the Iowa Republican caucuses, with about 51 per cent of the vote, a result that gave the former president an early lead for the Republican nomination ahead of the country91裸聊视频檚 November election.
91裸聊视频淒o they want to be a nation that is optimistic and committed to the future? Or will they choose a step backwards, nostalgia for a time that never existed, a populism that reflects a lot the anxiety and fury that people are going through without necessarily offering solutions?91裸聊视频� Trudeau said in response to a question at a breakfast event hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal.
There are many issues on which Trudeau said he disagrees with the one-term former U.S. president, who was elected in 2016 and defeated four years later by Joe Biden. But the prime minister said he was able to successfully defend Canada91裸聊视频檚 interests through Trump91裸聊视频檚 mandate, including during the negotiation of the United States91裸聊视频揗exico91裸聊视频揅anada agreement and a dispute over Canada91裸聊视频檚 aluminum exports to the U.S.
91裸聊视频淚t was not easy the first time, I91裸聊视频檒l tell you that and if there91裸聊视频檚 a second time, it won91裸聊视频檛 be easy either,91裸聊视频� Trudeau said.
But the prime minister said working with the U.S. always comes with challenges and that there were trade disputes during the Barack Obama and Biden administrations related to things like softwood lumber and electric vehicles.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 always a big challenge to work with any American president, even those like Barack and Joe, with whom I have a lot in common,91裸聊视频� Trudeau said.
The Republican nomination battle officially became a three-horse race Tuesday when last-place challenger Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor, formally suspended his moribund campaign. That followed the withdrawal Monday of Trump-adjacent, distant-fourth finisher Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur whose bid included a straight-faced proposal to build a wall along the Canada-U.S. border.
The win for Trump and his 91裸聊视频淢ake America Great Again91裸聊视频� political movement in Iowa is largely inconsequential in the grander battle for the presidential nomination, but incontrovertible proof of his stranglehold on the Republican party.
Trudeau said the choice facing Americans is similar to one facing voters in Europe and other parts of the world that are experiencing democratic backsliding and waning support for democracy. Canada isn91裸聊视频檛 immune from those trends, Trudeau said, casting himself as a defender of optimism and stability, in opposition to anger, fear and conspiracy theories.
91裸聊视频淚n two years here in Canada, we91裸聊视频檒l have a similar choice,91裸聊视频� Trudeau said. 91裸聊视频淒o we move forward, to defend democracy, our principles, do we continue to fight climate change, defend individual rights, defend minorities, or do we go backwards because we91裸聊视频檙e too angry about everything that91裸聊视频檚 going on in the world around us?91裸聊视频�
The next federal election must take place on or before Oct. 20, 2025. Recent polls have suggested Pierre Poilievre91裸聊视频檚 Conservatives would win a majority government if the vote was held now.
Trudeau did not take questions from reporters after speaking at the chamber of commerce event.
