The political landscape in Canada witnessed notable shifts this year, marked by significant changes in party support and a series of headline-grabbing events and policy challenges at the federal level.
In the latter part of the year, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives took the lead over the Liberals in polls by a double-digit margin. This shift occurred as housing and the rising cost of living emerged as pressing concerns for Canadians. The declining support for the Liberals raised questions about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ability to lead the party into the next scheduled election in the fall of 2025. Meanwhile, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh secured a confidence-and-supply deal, leading to policy wins like dental care, but the party’s standing in polls remained relatively unchanged from about a year ago.
On a recent episode of CTV’s Question Period, a panel of political strategists provided letter grades for the three prominent federal leaders.
Scott Reid, CTV News political analyst and former communications director to Prime Minister Paul Martin, gave Trudeau a “D.” Reid characterized the year as a significant challenge for the prime minister, emphasizing that 2024 needs to be markedly different from 2023.
Kory Teneycke, Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s campaign manager and former director of communications for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, awarded Poilievre an “A.” Teneycke commended the Conservative leader for a phenomenal year, citing the substantial lead gained in the polls and attributing credit to both Poilievre and his team for their discipline, strategy, and overall performance.
Kathleen Monk, former NDP strategist and director of communications to the late Jack Layton, assigned Singh a “B-” but acknowledged a “grade of distinction or merit” for his policy achievements. Monk highlighted Singh’s policy successes, particularly in securing dental care, while expressing concern about the party’s fundraising numbers and potential challenges in keeping the caucus together around the confidence-and-supply agreement.
The assessments provided a nuanced view of each leader’s performance, considering political challenges, policy achievements, and overall effectiveness in navigating the dynamic landscape of Canadian politics in 2023.