As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prepares to leave office, Canadians remain divided on how history will judge his time in power.
A new poll from the Angus Reid Institute shows that while most believe he tackled the country’s biggest challenges, opinions are sharply split on whether he made progress or fell short.
According to the survey, 63% of Canadians agree Trudeau took on major national issues, but only 30% believe he made meaningful progress, while 33% feel he failed to address them. Another 22% say he actively made things worse.
Among his most recognized achievements, respondents pointed to marijuana legalization, his COVID-19 response, and the expansion of social programs such as the Canada Child Benefit and dental care. However, Trudeau’s handling of immigration policy, inflation, and the federal carbon tax were widely seen as his biggest failures.
When it comes to how history will remember him, Canadians are mixed. While 26% believe he will be viewed as an above-average prime minister, an equal share see him as average. Meanwhile, 15% think he will be remembered as below average, with others rating him even worse. These views are similar to public sentiment toward former Prime Minister Stephen Harper when he left office in 2015.
When asked what stands out most about Trudeau’s near-decade in power, many Canadians cited his pandemic response, while others pointed to scandals such as the SNC-Lavalin and WE Charity controversies.