There’s a saying in old Latin: Post-woke, ergo properly broke, whose English translation is once you go woke, you go broke. One kids. There’s no such saying in Latin. It’s just an alliteration of the popular logical fallacy: Post hoc, ergo propter hoc, which means drawing causality based on chronology. Jokes aside, “once you go woke, you go broke” is a self-serving axiom across various aspects of life. We’ve seen it happen to media organisations (Vice, Huffington Post) and brands (Jaguar, Bud Light). But in politics, the popular adage is only partially true. Because once people go broke, as Jim Carville, Bill Clinton’s advisor, so memorably said: “It’s the economy, stupid.” All politics, all ideologies—everything crumbles when a person’s relationship with Mammon deteriorates.
Sadly, the Canadian economy’s misfires, combined with Trump threatening tariffs and even invasion, appeared to finally break the camel’s back as Justin Trudeau’s back-to-the-wall defiance collapsed, even as governor jibes emanated from Mar-a-Lago.
It’s hard to explain to newcomers what Justin Trudeau’s win meant for the deracinated liberal world order at a time when Obama was preparing to exit the White House and a feisty former talk-show host was slowly cannibalising the Republican Party in America.
With hindsight, it’s hard to settle on Justin Trudeau’s greatest hits—it’s like being asked to choose your favourite Beatles song.
Here are some of this author’s favourites:
- Correcting a woman who said “mankind” instead of “peoplekind”?
- Wrongly explaining quantum computing and still making journalists swoon.
- Honouring an actual Nazi in the House of Commons.
- Stuttering while trying to pronounce LGBTQIA2S+.
- Roaming around India like a Bollywood extra, hoping to get a call from Dharma Productions?
How do you even pick one? It’s like trying to decide between Hey Jude and Let It Be. But we digress—because at his moment of despair, Trudeau doesn’t even have Vidya Balan tweeting: “Justin Trudeau, what a SUPERSTAR. To take a pause & catch your breath requires courage … More power to you … Respect !!”
Here’s the epic rise and fall of Justin Trudeau, explained in eight episodes:
Episode 1: A New Liberal Hope
In 2015, Trudeau was the shimmering knight of progressive politics. With Stephen Harper’s Conservatives mired in fatigue, Trudeau’s youthful energy, charisma, and impeccable lineage—his father Pierre Trudeau being Canada’s political giant—swept him into office. He promised “sunny ways” and became the darling of liberals worldwide. His now-iconic phrase, “Because it’s 2015,” delivered when unveiling a gender-balanced cabinet, went viral, cementing his image as a modern, forward-thinking leader. Trudeau was painted with the golden brush that liberal Western media outlets wield with surprising alacrity, raising a liberal politician to the position of Saint Obama.
Trudeau wasn’t just a politician; he was a phenomenon. Vogue crowned him a “dreamboat,” and his effortless charm was celebrated as the perfect antidote to the belligerence of Trump. While Trump built walls, Trudeau tweeted, “Diversity is our strength,” and greeted Syrian refugees with open arms. The contrast couldn’t have been sharper: where Trump was divisive, Trudeau appeared inclusive; where Trump was coarse, Trudeau seemed polished. Yet, beneath the polished veneer, cracks were forming.
Episode 2: The Empire Strikes Back
Trudeau’s transformation from the golden boy of progressivism to a polarising figure didn’t happen overnight—it was a slow-motion train wreck. The 2019 blackface scandal served as the first real crack in the shiny veneer. Seeing photos of a self-proclaimed champion of inclusivity dressed in racist costumes was a gut punch to Canadians who had bought into his “sunny ways” narrative. Trudeau apologised profusely, but for many, the damage was done. It wasn’t just a youthful lapse in judgement; it smacked of hypocrisy from a leader who had built his brand on diversity and moral high ground.
Then came the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests, a cultural flashpoint in Trudeau’s tenure. What started as opposition to vaccine mandates spiralled into a nationwide outcry against government overreach. Trudeau’s response—dismissing the protesters as a “fringe minority” and invoking the Emergencies Act—was a bold gamble. While some lauded his decisiveness, others saw it as the overreach of an authoritarian hiding behind a rainbow flag. Images of police cracking down on protesters became rallying cries for both domestic critics and international sceptics.
Meanwhile, the economic cracks were impossible to paper over. Inflation soared, housing affordability became a pipe dream, and immigration strained infrastructure. For Canadians, the feel-good slogans that swept Trudeau into office now felt like empty platitudes. His ambitious goals—welcoming refugees, committing to climate change, and reconciling with Indigenous communities—clashed with the economic realities of a country struggling to keep up. The Trudeau who once embodied hope now seemed like a leader out of touch with the daily struggles of his citizens.
Hubris, not malice, was Trudeau’s undoing. He believed his charisma could outshine his missteps. But for Canadians watching their housing costs skyrocket while infrastructure crumbled, charm wasn’t paying the bills. The Trudeau era had lost its lustre, leaving voters grappling with a question they never thought they’d ask: Is it time to move on?
Act 3: The Hypocrisy Awakens
Trudeau’s feminist credentials were tarnished in 2019 during the SNC-Lavalin affair. The scandal, involving his alleged interference in the criminal case of a Quebec-based engineering giant, exposed a stark disconnect between his feminist rhetoric and his actions. Jody Wilson-Raybould, Canada’s first Indigenous attorney general, refused to intervene in the case despite alleged pressure from Trudeau’s office. Her demotion in a cabinet shuffle and subsequent resignation triggered outrage. Joined by Jane Philpott, another high-profile cabinet minister, the resignations painted a damning picture: Trudeau’s leadership was anything but empowering for women.
Critics seized on the affair as evidence of systemic barriers for women in leadership. Wilson-Raybould’s allegations of sustained pressure reinforced the narrative of Trudeau’s hypocrisy. For a leader who had built his image on inclusion and respect, the optics were devastating. His refusal to offer a full apology, dismissing the matter as a “breakdown in communication,” only deepened the sense of betrayal among voters.
The affair’s fallout extended beyond Wilson-Raybould. For many Canadians, it symbolised Trudeau’s willingness to sacrifice principles for political expediency. The resignations of two strong, capable women—both celebrated as symbols of diversity in Trudeau’s government—felt like a betrayal of the values he claimed to uphold. Trudeau’s feminist image, once a cornerstone of his political brand, became a punchline.
In the years that followed, the cracks in his feminist rhetoric widened. His gender-balanced cabinet and progressive slogans were overshadowed by his failure to address systemic inequalities. For Trudeau, the SNC-Lavalin affair wasn’t just a scandal—it was a moment when his carefully crafted image began to unravel.
Act 4: The India Menace
Trudeau’s diplomatic missteps with India were the stuff of international spectacle. It all began with his 2018 state visit, a masterclass in how not to do diplomacy. Trudeau and his family, decked out in Bollywood-style outfits, looked more like hopeful Dharma Productions extras than world leaders. The over-the-top wardrobe, combined with choreographed photo ops, overshadowed any substantive discussion. Worse, the inclusion of a Khalistani sympathiser in his entourage sparked outrage in India, where tensions over Sikh separatism remain a sensitive issue. What could have been an opportunity to strengthen ties with one of the world’s fastest-growing economies became a public relations disaster.
The fiasco didn’t end there. By 2023, Trudeau accused New Delhi, without substantiative proof, of orchestrating the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and prominent pro-Khalistan activist. Nijjar’s killing outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia triggered a full-blown diplomatic meltdown. Trudeau’s allegations led to tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats, the suspension of visa services, and the collapse of high-level talks. India, in turn, accused Canada of harbouring extremists under the guise of free speech. The fact that Trudeau officials were primary sources for hit jobs by US media on Indian officials didn’t help matters.
Historical wounds like the 1985 Air India bombing loomed large over the fallout, further complicating relations. Canada’s perceived failure to bring the bombing’s perpetrators to justice left lingering doubts in India about Trudeau’s commitment to curbing extremism. Meanwhile, Trudeau’s efforts to balance domestic Sikh voters’ concerns with India’s sovereignty demands left him alienating both sides. In fact, it was the first time that the leader of a Western world had been attacked so vehemently by counterparts. More so, Trudeau became the butt of memes on social media, with his “rule of law” tweet becoming a meme format.
Act 5: Attack of the Economy
Trudeau’s economic track record became his Achilles’ heel, with policies that seemed ambitious in theory but disastrous in execution. The carbon tax, hailed as a cornerstone of his climate agenda, alienated resource-dependent provinces like Alberta. Coupled with Bill C-69—the so-called “No More Pipelines” bill—it deepened western alienation and led to job losses in Canada’s energy sector. Meanwhile, his government’s $4.5 billion purchase of the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion enraged both environmentalists and fiscal conservatives as costs ballooned past $30 billion.
The housing crisis spiralled further out of control during Trudeau’s tenure. Initiatives like the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive barely made a dent as soaring demand and speculative practices kept prices climbing. Rising interest rates added fuel to the fire, leaving millions of Canadians locked out of the housing market. One particular exchange with a construction worker went rather viral.
Pandemic relief programmes like CERB and CEWS, though critical during COVID-19, were riddled with inefficiencies. Billions of dollars went to corporations that didn’t need aid or laid off workers despite receiving subsidies. Critics argued the unchecked spending contributed to runaway inflation, pushing the cost of living higher.
Even Trudeau’s attempts at wealth redistribution floundered. The luxury tax and higher taxes on the wealthy were more symbolic than effective, raising limited revenue while failing to address middle-class struggles. Meanwhile, changes to small business tax rules in 2017 sparked outrage from entrepreneurs, forcing Trudeau to backtrack.
Act 6: The Revenge of Reality
Donald Trump
Justin Trudeau’s tenure is best encapsulated by the chasm between rhetoric and reality. A self-styled champion of progressive ideals, Trudeau’s actions often failed to align with his lofty promises.
On climate change, his government introduced carbon pricing and signed the Paris Agreement, but approval of projects like the Trans Mountain Pipeline undermined his green credentials. Similarly, his commitment to Indigenous reconciliation floundered amid slow progress on issues like boil water advisories and disputes over sovereignty, such as the Coastal GasLink pipeline controversy.
While Trudeau boasted of tackling inequality with measures like the luxury tax, systemic issues remained largely unaddressed. Housing affordability worsened, and wealth disparities persisted, leaving middle-class Canadians disillusioned. Internationally, Trudeau’s reputation for principled leadership was undermined by declining peacekeeping contributions and arms sales to countries with dubious human rights records. Ethical scandals like the WE Charity controversy further eroded public trust, painting him as a leader more concerned with appearances than substance. Trudeau’s progressive rhetoric may have earned him global admiration, but his inability to bridge the gap between words and deeds left his legacy tarnished, both at home and abroad.
Act 7: The Immigration Boomerang
Immigration, a cornerstone of Trudeau’s agenda, became a double-edged sword. Early in his tenure, Trudeau’s open-arms policy, epitomised by his 2017 “Welcome to Canada” tweet, won international praise. His government resettled 25,000 Syrian refugees, positioning Canada as a beacon of inclusivity. However, the surge of asylum seekers crossing the US border strained resources, particularly in Quebec, and sparked criticism of Trudeau’s management. By 2023, his government amended the Safe Third Country Agreement to address irregular crossings, signalling a tougher stance.
Canada’s ambitious immigration targets—over 1.4 million newcomers between 2023 and 2025—aimed to address labour shortages but exacerbated housing and infrastructure challenges. Cities like Toronto and Vancouver struggled to keep up with rising demand, fuelling public frustration.
While Trudeau emphasised skilled workers and economic migrants, critics argued the government failed to plan for long-term integration, creating bottlenecks in healthcare, education, and housing. Provincial leaders accused Ottawa of offloading costs onto local governments.
Trudeau’s evolving immigration policies highlighted his struggle to balance humanitarian ideals with pragmatic governance. What began as a vision of inclusivity ended as a logistical quagmire, leaving Canada divided on the benefits and challenges of its immigration strategy.
Act 8: Politics Strikes Back
By 2025, Trudeau’s political capital had evaporated. His Liberals trailed the Conservatives by a staggering 25 points, and key allies like Chrystia Freeland had abandoned ship. Internal dissent reached a boiling point, and Trudeau’s resignation wasn’t a grand farewell—it was a retreat. It came at a time when his party is floundering, and many will wonder if Trudeau left it till too late.
For Trudeau, his rise and fall encapsulated the pitfalls of political branding. He entered office as the poster child for progressive politics but left as a polarising figure whose contradictions overshadowed his achievements. Trudeau’s legacy is a contested one: a leader who championed inclusivity and climate action but stumbled over execution and ethics. As Canada looks ahead, Trudeau’s era serves as a cautionary tale of how style, without substance, can backfire spectacularly.
