Justin Trudeau鈥檚 interview on 鈥淭he Late Show with Stephen Colbert鈥� began with the expected jokes about bacon and Canadians saying sorry a lot, but the prime minister acknowledged it鈥檚 鈥渁 really tough time鈥� in the country when the host asked about an expected confidence vote in Parliament this week.
鈥淧eople are hurting. People are having trouble paying for groceries, paying for rent, filling up the tank,鈥� Trudeau said during the CBS program Monday in New York, where he has been meeting with world leaders attending the United Nations General Assembly.
Trudeau admitted there鈥檚 frustration. He said the housing crisis 鈥渋s a little sharper鈥� in Canada than it is in the U.S. And even though he said Canada鈥檚 economy is performing better on a 鈥渕acro鈥� level than its southern neighbour鈥檚, people don鈥檛 feel it when they鈥檙e at the checkout.
Still, he said it鈥檚 important to invest in people by moving forward with $10 a day child care, dental care and pharmacare so that diabetes medication and prescription contraception will be free.
Trudeau will return to Ottawa on Wednesday in time for a vote on an expected non-confidence motion the Conservatives have threatened to bring in against his minority government.
鈥淧eople are sometimes looking at change but the reality is I deeply believe in continuing to fight climate change and continuing to invest in people, continuing to be there to support people. And I鈥檓 going to keep fighting,鈥� he told Colbert.
At one point Colbert said flirtations with fascism and xenophobia were rising across the globe, and he said that even in Canada, Trudeau鈥檚 opponent has been called 鈥淐anada鈥檚 Trump.鈥� He wondered why such ideologies were getting traction in a country 鈥渁s polite as Canada.鈥�
Trudeau didn鈥檛 bite on the Trump remark, but responded that Canada isn鈥檛 perfect. He said universal health care took decades to fight for, and things like leading the world with action on climate change are worth fighting for, too.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a big argument right now about whether dental care really exists. We鈥檝e delivered it to 700,000 people across the country and my opponent is gaslighting us and saying, oh, dental care doesn鈥檛 even exist yet,鈥� he said.
Conservative health critic Stephen Ellis said in a statement earlier this month that the government had botched the dental program, saying the vast majority of Canadians don鈥檛 qualify, and those who do may still have to pay out of pocket.
Colbert also asked Trudeau about issues Canada and the U.S. fight over, such as the softwood lumber duty that the U.S. Department of Commerce nearly doubled in August. Trudeau replied that Americans are paying too much for lumber because of the tariffs.
鈥淲e come over the border for cheaper drugs. You guys happy with that?鈥� Colbert asked.
鈥淲e鈥檙e happy to try and help you out but it would be really easier if you get universal health care,鈥� Trudeau answered, to loud applause from the audience.
