Instagram/@justinpjtrudeau
Justin Trudeau, the previous Prime Minister of Canada, celebrated the tenth anniversary of his 2015 election, reminiscing a decade of governmental policy victories, and accompanied by a mixed bag of public reactions. The politician, in his social media post, pointed out such areas of his government as poverty reduction, climate change, and childcare making the debate on his legacy a very hot and divisive issue that has the nation divided.
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Justin Trudeau communicated his thankfulness to Canadians for the decision made, “the hopeful path” that they had chosen a decade ago, and also posted a long message. He retraced the night of 2015 saying there was, “the energy, the optimism, and the belief that together we could build a better future”. The ex-PM then listed the most important successes of his government like the slashing of poverty by hundreds of thousands, the establishment of a national childcare initiative with $10-a-day as its fee, the push for measures to combat climate change, and the opening of a dialogue with the Indigenous peoples of Canada. At the end of his bilingual message, he expressed his sincerest gratitude to all who shared his belief that “better is always possible.”
The reaction to the post was immediate, and thousands of reactions were posted, showing a very clear division between the supporters who praised his legacy and the critics who blamed him for the current problems of Canada. One user simply said: “Thank you, PM Justin Trudeau!!!” A second one supported him by saying “Was a great ten years – a change from the destruction and wastage of the previous govt!” However, opposite views quickly emerged in replies, with one person writing: “Trudeau literally spent more than all of his predecessors combined but sure, yes, big change on the ‘wastage’ front.”
The level of criticism continued to rise aggressively as one rolled down the comment section. One comment was especially rude, uttering, “worst day in Canadian history… we elected a clown and got what we deserved.” This comment attracted many responses, one of them stating, “He was elected THREE times. So cry.” The other condemner stated, “10 years ago, Canadians made the biggest Mistake of the century and ruined the next generations for god knows how long,” while another one simply said: “Canada is basically over because of you…”
Most of the negative criticism concentrated on the economic issue. One user commented, “Lifted thousands out of poverty, and put millions more into poverty. Good job.” When another commenter said that corporate greed is the cause of a higher living cost instead of government policy, the original poster countered: “Did big corporations ship all of our tax dollars over seas? Did big corporations shut down every single avenue to use our resources for profit?”
The partisans of Trudeau didn’t yield and kept up the fight for his reputation. One commenter said: “History will be kind to you, PM Trudeau,” and another: “You were a good PM. You love the people and did as best as can be done for most.” A third one pointed out: “Never listen to rude people. You did your best for all Canadians. You are in Top three best prime ministers ever.” This positive comment immediately received a reply which expressed doubt: “Are you on drugs… top 3 pm ever… maybe in your opinion…. Top 3 scammer of all time on paper.”
The debate turned to how Trudeau dealt with COVID-19 and a supporter said: “Your leadership during the pandemic was outstanding.” This viewpoint could not be more different from those that stressed the economic drawbacks of the measures taken during the pandemic and the split opinions reflected the division that has marked Trudeau’s leadership throughout his almost ten years in power.
Some comments attempted to bring a historical perspective to the heated discussion. A user stated that not only had Trudeau faced such criticisms but also the likes of Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin, and Stephen Harper and that times changed but the criticisms remained. “Alas, the times never do change,” was the comment. “And, here in 2025, it appears no one is ever satisfied, unless they are complaining.”
The strong reaction to the anniversary post of Trudeau shows that the ex-Prime Minister is still one of the most divisive figures in the Canadian political scene. His legacy continues to evoke passionate responses from both sides even after he has gone. The comments section was a very minor and direct reflection of the national debate about the government’s achievements and failures with no middle ground in sight. “It boggles the imagination,” was how one commentator summed up the mixed opinions in a very clever way.
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Without a doubt, Justin Trudeau’s political career has been a big blow to Canada, though what kind of impact it had is still a matter of severe dispute. The lively reactions to his anniversary reflection suggest that the argument about his presidency won’t die away for many more years to come, and that Canadians remain undecided whether his leadership was a cause of progress or setback for the country.