Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation as Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Party on January 6, 2025, has been the subject of several post-resignation interviews. The CBC special airing tonight, February 25, 2025, was intended as an exit interview to defend his legacy. According to the user’s query, Trudeau struggled when questioned about the $500 billion in new federal debt accumulated during his tenure, dodging direct answers and stammering, which led to a perceived implosion of the interview.
To contextualize, Trudeau became Prime Minister in 2015, and under his leadership, the federal debt, measured as the accumulated deficit, increased significantly. Public accounts show the accumulated deficit was $626.9 billion CAD in 2015-16 and rose to approximately $1,148 billion CAD by 2023-24, marking an increase of about $521.2 billion CAD [Public Accounts of Canada 2023](https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/recgen/cr-fd/finances financiers/finances financiers-eng.html). The user’s mention of $500 billion aligns closely with this figure, likely referring to the net increase in debt over his nine-year tenure.
The interview, reportedly conducted by CBC, turned into a PR nightmare for Trudeau, with his inability to justify the debt increase becoming a focal point. This event is significant given the upcoming federal election in October 2025, where economic stewardship will be a key issue.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre reacted swiftly, taking to X to criticize Trudeau’s performance. His X post, as per the user’s query, stated, “a confession of failure from a PM who taxed us into poverty”, Poilievre’s X post. This reflects Poilievre’s ongoing narrative that Trudeau’s policies, including increased spending and taxation, have burdened Canadians economically. Poilievre’s comments highlight the conservative critique of Trudeau’s fiscal policy, particularly the rise in national debt and perceived tax increases, which he argues have led to economic hardship for Canadians.
Poilievre’s reaction is consistent with his political strategy, focusing on fiscal responsibility and criticizing Liberal economic management. His use of the term “taxed us into poverty” suggests a direct link between Trudeau’s policies and economic struggles, a message likely to resonate with conservative voters ahead of the election.
The Conservative Party, led by Poilievre, is already leveraging clips of Trudeau’s stammering responses from the interview, planning to use them in their next campaign advertisement. This move is part of a broader strategy to capitalize on perceived weaknesses in Trudeau’s leadership, particularly on economic issues. The clips, showing Trudeau struggling to address the debt, are expected to be used to underscore his inability to manage finances effectively, contrasting with the Conservative platform of fiscal conservatism.
This approach is not surprising given the political climate, with polls indicating a tight race and the Liberals facing challenges in maintaining voter support. The use of such clips in campaign ads is a common tactic to highlight opponent vulnerabilities, and given Trudeau’s resignation and the timing of the interview, it’s a strategic move to frame the election narrative around economic mismanagement.
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