Prime Minister Justin Trudeau knows Canadians aren鈥檛 listening.

He knows his defence against Conservative attacks over his signature climate policy isn鈥檛 working, at least not yet.

But he plans to keep trying. And while he鈥檚 at it, his office is trying something new to get the Liberal government鈥檚 message out.

Trudeau recently appeared on four podcasts as he travels the country talking up the Liberals鈥� latest budget, which he鈥檚 pitching as a plan to inject more economic fairness into society for those under 40 鈥� a cohort that has kept Trudeau in power since 2015 but is increasingly turning to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

The interviews vary widely in substance and length 鈥� from 30 minutes to nearly an hour 鈥� and the podcasts reach very different audiences.

At one end of the spectrum, Vox鈥檚 鈥淭oday, Explained鈥� is broadcast across U.S. public radio stations.

The other is YXE Underground, which focuses on the stories of Saskatoon鈥檚 unsung community leaders.

The prime minister鈥檚 availability to such a smaller market came as a surprise: when Trudeau鈥檚 team initially reached out, the show鈥檚 host thought it was a scam and deleted the email.

As Trudeau tries to reignite the support of millennial and Gen-Z Canadians, he is opening up about more than just policy and his political challenges.

The Canadian Press listened to the string of interviews to get a sense of Trudeau鈥檚 thinking, as the clock ticks down to the next federal election.

Trudeau鈥檚 commitment to fighting climate change through consumer carbon pricing is a major theme.

Poilievre and the majority of premiers pummelled Trudeau leading up to a long-scheduled increase to the levy on April 1, which added about three cents to the cost of a litre of gas. They argued the Liberals were badly exacerbating the cost of living.

鈥淲hen (the) gas price goes up by 20 cents people say, 鈥極h it鈥檚 the carbon tax,鈥欌�� despite it only accounting for three cents, Trudeau told The Big Story.

鈥淎nd we actually increased the carbon rebates at the same time,鈥� he said.

鈥淭he context is people are looking for things to be frustrated about, because they鈥檙e feeling frustrated, and it鈥檚 a very easy target.鈥�

While the anti-carbon price message may be winning the day, Trudeau is banking on a belief that that will change come election time.

鈥淩ight now, we鈥檙e a long way from an election. It鈥檚 easy for people to be frustrated about a whole bunch of different things. My choice as leader is, 鈥極K, do I bow down to that even though I think it鈥檚 wrong?鈥欌�� said Trudeau.

鈥淚 think people are wrong to be worried about this. I understand why they are.鈥�

In the meantime, he is launching frequent attacks at Poilievre, who has promised to use 鈥渢echnology, not taxes鈥� to tackle climate change, for the lack of an actual plan.

And he keeps talking about how Canadians end up getting their money back through rebates, with the lowest income earners benefiting the most 鈥� though he admitted he must 鈥減atiently wait鈥� for the message to land.

鈥淣obody鈥檚 actually hearing that yet,鈥� the prime minister said.

鈥淏ut I will keep saying it and keep showing it so that by the time a year-and-a-half comes and people make a choice, they will be more informed about what the alternative is.鈥�

If he simply wanted to do what was popular he would take a different path, Trudeau said.

But that would come at a cost.

It would mean the time he spent away from his kids and what his family sacrificed during his time in politics 鈥渨on鈥檛 have been worth it,鈥� he said, his voice cracking with a hint of emotion.

Polling over the past year has shown the Liberals consistently and significantly behind Poilievre鈥檚 Conservatives. Recent surveys taken after the release of the federal budget don鈥檛 show any sign of a turnaround.

Speaking to Vox, Trudeau characterized the challenge ahead in the context of a broader fight against the rise of populist and authoritarian leaders.

鈥淒emocracy is definitely under threat,鈥� he said.

He took pains to characterize it as a ballot box question when Canadians next head to the polls, a contest that is slated to take place by October 2025 at the latest.

鈥淐anadians are going to have to choose over the next year-and-a-half what kind of country we are,鈥� Trudeau said.

鈥淎re we a country that believes in evidence and science? Are we a country that looks out for each other and believes that government has a role to play in making sure that people are protected, that the world works responsibly?鈥�

Or, Trudeau went on, 鈥淒o you go down a path of amplifying anger, division and fear, government gets out of the way and lets people fend for themselves?鈥�

He said, as he has said before, that he is ready for that fight.

But when it鈥檚 time to lay down arms, he told Freakonomics Radio, he plans to return to his roots.

鈥淚鈥檇 still be a teacher,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 will look to teach again in one way, shape or form.鈥�

Trudeau also addressed a French-language interview he gave last month in which he said he thought about quitting every day. One comment was translated into English as, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a crazy job I鈥檓 doing.鈥�

He told the podcast host that his description of his role in French was better translated as 鈥渁 job for crazy people.鈥�

When it comes to his personal life, Trudeau said he remains Catholic and faith is a part of who he is, 鈥渆ven though I probably haven鈥檛 done as good a job at passing that on to my kids as a good Catholic should.鈥�

And while the prime minister who legalized cannabis said he鈥檚 tried weed before, 鈥渋t鈥檚 never been my thing.鈥�

He鈥檚 more of a 鈥渂eer and bourbon kind of guy,鈥� and 鈥渆ven then, not too much.鈥�

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