Ruling Party's Approval Rating Surges in Canada... 'Reflected Benefit' Thanks to Trump

A recent poll revealed that the approval rating of Canada’s ruling Liberal Party, which was on the verge of losing power for the first time in 10 years, has rebounded recently thanks to Canadians’ growing antipathy toward U.S. President Donald Trump.

Donald Trump, President of the United States, and Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada. Photo by AP Yonhap News

According to the British daily The Guardian on the 26th (local time), support for the centrist-left Liberal Party in Canada has surged recently.

In an Ipsos poll released the previous day, the Liberal Party’s approval rating jumped 26 percentage points in six weeks to 38%, surpassing the opposition Conservative Party’s 36%.

In another poll released the same day, the Liberal Party trailed the Conservative Party with 35% support to 38%. Considering that in a poll by the same firm last December, the Liberal Party’s approval rating was only 21%, less than half of the Conservative Party’s 43%, this is a significant achievement.

Another poll also showed the Liberal Party at 38%, closely contesting the Conservative Party’s 37%.

Experts widely agree that this phenomenon is due to the recent spread of anti-Trump sentiment in Canada. Since taking office, President Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canada and made remarks about annexing Canada as the 51st state of the U.S., provoking backlash from Canadians.

In this process, the main opposition Conservative Party, which was expected to end the Liberal Party’s 10-year rule, appears to have been negatively affected. This is because the right-leaning Conservative Party’s image overlaps with that of President Trump.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and head of the U.S. Government Efficiency Department (DOGE), who enjoys strong trust from President Trump, recently expressed support for Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party, as Canada’s next leader.

Additionally, the announcement of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s intention to resign, after leading the Liberal Party for nearly 10 years, is also cited as a factor in the recovery of popularity. Trudeau, who lacked public support, was a useful target for attacks by the opposition Conservative Party, but with his resignation announcement, he no longer influences public opinion.