Canada's Economic and Drug Crisis After Nine Years of Trudeau

Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, recently shared his views on the economic growth in Canada and its correlation with the drug crisis. His comments provide insight into his potential approach to these issues if he becomes Prime Minister.

Economic Growth under Trudeau’s Leadership

Poilievre criticized the economic growth under Trudeau’s leadership, stating that Canada has the worst economic growth in the G7. He pointed out that Canada’s per capita GDP has been falling for six consecutive quarters. According to him, Canadians are earning $4,200 less per person than they were on track to earn before Trudeau. This translates to $177,000 less per family. Poilievre criticized the economic growth under Trudeau’s leadership, stating that Canada has the worst economic growth in the G7. He pointed out that Canada’s per capita GDP has been falling for six consecutive quarters. According to him, Canadians are earning $4,200 less per person than they were on track to earn before Trudeau. This translates to $177,000 less per family.

Justin Trudeau - Flag Day Rally 2015 | University of Toronto

These figures suggest a significant economic strain on Canadian families. The economic growth projections by the International Monetary Fund for major nations are mixed, with the majority of G7 countries forecasted to have slower growth in 2024 compared to 2023. Only three BRICS-invited or member countries, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and South Africa, have higher projected real GDP growth rates in 2024 than last year.

The Drug Crisis in Canada

Poilievre linked the economic strain to the drug crisis that has exploded over the last nine years. The opioid crisis in Canada has been an issue for nearly a quarter of a century. The years 2015 to 2020 marked the third phase of the crisis where there was an unprecedented rise in synthetic opioids and analogues. The increased potency of the illegal drug supply caused overdose-related deaths to suddenly increase around 2016, and they’ve been high ever since.

The COVID-19 pandemic reversed progress made to help reduce overdoses and substance-related harms. This made the overdose crisis much worse due to an increasingly toxic illegal drug supply, reduced access to health and social services, and people being more likely to use drugs alone.

Conclusion

Pierre Poilievre’s comments on the economic growth and the drug crisis in Canada highlight his commitment to addressing these pressing issues. As the leader of the Conservative Party, his views could shape the party’s approach to these issues in the future.