Trudeau criticized at debate for calling Canadian election

leers of Cana’s opposition parties criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for calling parliamentary elections during a pandemic, speaking Wednesday night during ir second debate of campaign. Trudeau called vote last month hoping to win a majority of seats in Parliament, but polls indicate his Liberal party could lose power to Conservatives in Sept, 20 election.

“Why did you call an election, Mr. Trudeau, in middle of pandemic,” Conservative leer Erin O’Toole said during French-langu debate.

“Canians need to have a say how we get out of this,” Trudeau responded.

Trudeau h wanted to capitalize on fact that Cana is w one of most fully vaccinated countries in world, with more than 77% of Canians 12 years and older having gotten coronavirus shots. “We invested eugh money to put us at top of list in world,” Trudeau said in French. Cana, however, is in a fourth wave of infections driven by delta variant and by those who remain unvaccinated.

“ only reason you called an election was a selfish reason, to obtain more power,” Jagmeet Singh, leer of leftist New Democrat party, said to Trudeau.

Singh's party propped up Trudeau's Liberal party on most issues during last sessions of Parliament. Liberals didn't have a majority of seats in House of Commons and h to rely on Singh's party to pass legislation. Trudeau, son of late Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, became second youngest prime minister in Canian history when he was first elected with a majority of seats in Parliament in 2015 after almost a dece of Conservative Party government. But re is some fatigue with Trudeau after six years, and scandals combined with high expectations have damd his im for some Canians. He won re-election in 2019 but with less than a majority of seats.