Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Monday night appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was one of the top trending conversations online, as the Liberal Party leader’s performance was picked apart by Canadians.
PM Trudeau, who has been tanking in polls amid recent setbacks between losses in key Liberal strongholds and losing the support of the NDP at the federal level, kicked off the week fielding questions about Canada’s changing political landscape and the key challenges faced by Canadians on a daily basis.
The PM noted how Canadians are going through a “tough time” and are “taking a lot out on me for understandable reasons” since he is the one steering the ship through current problems facing the country.
Many people thanked him for being a “true leader” in acknowledging the dissatisfaction among Canadians towards him while also drawing comparisons with Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
A true leader shows his pride in Canada and it’s people, not degrading our country with his every word like Poilievre. To quote Stephen Colbert, “your leader there has been called Canada’s Trump and I am sorry about that”. PMJT, thank you for showing Canada is not broken. 🇨🇦🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/HUu061OOTw
— veravegas13 (@veravegas013) September 24, 2024
Trudeau represented Canada with class last night on tv. It’s why we are one of the most respected countries on earth.
Today’s forecast calls for an extreme chance of conservatives bitching and moaning all day about it.
— CaptainCoby (@Captaincoby00) September 24, 2024
Okay, Canada, it’s time to wake up.
If you can’t see the difference between Justin Trudeau and Pierre Poilievre, then you have your eyes and ears closed.
Pierre Poilievre is not qualified to be Prime Minister of Canada.
Angry, petty little man. #ISTANDWITHTRUDEAU pic.twitter.com/l28EHoQC5g— Clay Thompson. (@harryt59_harry) September 24, 2024
PM Trudeau making a case for Canadians and bringing up issues where Canada is leading on at the world stage — climate change, universal health care and dental care for low-income Canadians — resonated with many of his supporters.
Canada your choice is easy. Justin Trudeau LOVES Canada. Look how he talks about her. There is no other choice. It is so refreshing to hear good things about our beautiful country for a change.#JT2025 https://t.co/hViPlfHi81
— Larry Dallas (@TripperDallas) September 24, 2024
” I’ve been here steering us through, so it’s natural they want to take it out on me ” Justin said on Colbert
Trudeau has brought Canada through a lot of trials & tribulations, I respect his self awareness.
Trudeau is a true leader , a respected leader , now & in 2025 🇨🇦
— Kim-Bo (@kim_gaetz) September 24, 2024
However, his critics remained unconvinced with many sharing their hot takes online and describing the discussion as “somewhat bland” while shifting the focus to the healthcare crisis and expensive groceries in Canada.
Whoever told Trudeau to go on Colbert to help his polling numbers, thank you. It only helped make Canadians dislike him more.
— Ryan Gerritsen🇨🇦🇳🇱 (@ryangerritsen) September 24, 2024
If anything it spiked Colbert ratings one night bc Canadians watched to see how Trudeau would embarrass himself. JTs popularity will not improve bc of this. He’s a wannabe celeb, zero substance.
— Jenny Wood 🇨🇦 🍎 (@JLCWood2017) September 24, 2024
Colbert forced Trudeau to answer why people are frustrated with him.
“People are taking a lot out on me. And for understandable reasons. I’ve been here. And I’ve been steering us through this.”
How painful do you think this was for him? 🤔😂
— Kat Kanada (@KatKanada_TM) September 24, 2024
Pierre Poilievre being referred to as ‘Canada’s Trump’ on Colbert’s show infuriates Conservative supporters
A part of the night’s discussion was focused on Colbert asking Trudeau about the rise in far-right nationalism and the growing division among Canadians politically. Colbert also touched on Pierre Poilievre, who he said has been called “Canada’s Trump.” To which Trudeau responded saying “we’re not some magical place of unicorns and rainbows all the time.”
Colbert saying that Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has been described as “Canada’s Trump” sparked mixed reactions from Canadians, some of whom found it funny while others took offence and called Trudeau’s appearance a “campaign propaganda.”
This entire scripted interview was campaign propaganda. Colbert calling Pierre “Canada’s Trump” any Conservatives as Far-right & making it like Trudeau is fighting this imaginary Far-Right was abhorrent. pic.twitter.com/PY4FhEgUEn
— Ryan Gerritsen🇨🇦🇳🇱 (@ryangerritsen) September 24, 2024
The right is losing their shit over the Trudeau/Colbert thing.
Oh, it mattered! It mattered a lot. #cdnpoli
— Marc (@marcdez55) September 24, 2024
I’ll give PM Trudeau this – he has more class & grace in his pinkie finger, than the entire lot of conservative premiers & the front bench of CPC + Poilievre’s wife, have in their entire beings.
He could have taken the bait several times yesterday, but refused to do so.
— Caroline (northernck on alternative sites) (@northernck) September 24, 2024
I never watched this interview because I knew it would be pre-scripted propoganda. Colbert wouldn’t know Pierre Poilievre if he passed him on the street, yet he called him “Canada’s Trump” probably because Trudeau asked him to. This is brain-dead tripe. pic.twitter.com/kGvkKpmtg2
— Tokyo Rosie (@RosieRocks29) September 24, 2024
Adding more to his response to Colbert on Canadians being divided, Trudeau cited an example of the Canada Dental Care Plan which he claims has helped 700,000 Canadians so far but the Conservative leader fails to acknowledge it.
“There’s a big argument right now about whether dental care even exists,” Trudeau said.
“We’ve delivered it to 700,000 people across the country and my opponent is gaslighting us and saying, ‘Dental care doesn’t even exist yet.’”
Earlier in September, Conservative MP Stephen Ellis said the government failed in the delivery of subsidized dental care and claimed most Canadians don’t qualify for coverage or must still pay out of pocket for services.
The Canada Dental Care Plan is accepting applications from people over the age of 65, for children under the age of 18 and those who receive the Disability Tax Credit. Additional eligibility phases will roll out next year.
Applicants must first confirm before being enrolled with Sun Life, which manages the means-tested plan open to those whose adjusted family net income is less than $90,000 per year and who don’t have access to dental care programs through employer plans, private coverage, or student or pension benefits.
Trudeau’s TV appearance comes in the same week a vote of no-confidence in his government is expected
BREAKING: @PierrePoilievre has just moved a motion of Non-Confidence in Justin Trudeau and his government.
We need a carbon tax election NOW.
— Tim S. Uppal (@TimUppal) September 24, 2024
Justin Trudeau is set to face a non-confidence motion in the House of Commons this week. The motion was moved Tuesday morning by the Conservatives and is up for voting on Wednesday. If the Liberals are to lose, Canada could witness a snap-election. However, the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois have already hinted at supporting the Liberals in defeating the motion.
The Prime Minister addressed the concerns of Canadians and the possibility of losing the top job as soon as the end of this week on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
“It’s a really tough time for people in Canada right now,” Trudeau said.
“People are hurting. People are having trouble paying for groceries, paying for rent, filling up the tank.”
“People are frustrated and the idea that maybe they want an election now is something that my opponents are trying to bank on because people are taking a lot out on me, for understandable reasons,” he said. “I’ve been here, and I’ve been steering us through all these things and people are sometimes looking at change.”