Obama backs Trudeau in Canadian election

Former President Obama weighed in on the upcoming election in Canada, throwing his support behind current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Obama called Trudeau, who faces a tough reelection, “an effective leader” and a “strong voice” for democracy on Thursday. Obama’s high-profile boost comes less than a week ahead of Canada’s elections on Monday.

Wishing my friend @JustinTrudeau the best in Canada’s upcoming election. Justin has been an effective leader and strong voice for democratic values, and I’m proud of the work we did together.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 16, 2021

Obama’s endorsement is significant as Trudeau, the leader of the Canadian Liberal Party, is at risk of losing to Erin O’Toole, the leader of the Conservative Party.

Trudeau called for a snap election in August as a way to ensure that Canadian voters approve of the Liberal Party’s way of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. He has been in office since 2015. 

Trudeau and Obama have historically had a close friendship, and Obama also endorsed him in his 2019 reelection bid less than a week before the election. 

President Biden has not come out publicly to support Trudeau in Monday’s election. The president called Trudeau in early August and “underscored” the close relationship between the United States and Canada.