Challenged by Trump, Trudeau Rallies Canada as He Leaves Office
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It was not even three months ago when it seemed like Canadians couldn’t wait for an end to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s nearly decade-long stint as their leader. On Jan. 6, he announced his intention to step down with polls showing most Canadians deeply unhappy with the state of their country.
But as Mr. Trudeau, 53, prepares to officially resign on Friday, his fortunes have taken a remarkable turn thanks to a prolonged campaign of aggression against Canada by President Trump.
Through tariffs that could lead to economic devastation and repeated verbal attacks on Canada’s sovereignty, Mr. Trump has ignited a wave of patriotism, and Mr. Trudeau’s defiance and oratorical skills have helped rally the nation.
“Canadians are reasonable and we are polite, but we will not back down from a fight, not when our country and the well-being of everyone in it is at stake,” he said after Mr. Trump briefly imposed 25 percent tariffs. “What he wants is to see a total collapse of the Canadian economy, because that’ll make it easier to annex us.”
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Addressing the president informally as “Donald,” Mr. Trudeau continued: “Even though you’re a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do.”