Last Updated:
In an emotional farewell speech, Justin Trudeau reflected on Canada’s challenges. He took a final dig at Donald Trump, calling the US an ‘existential challenge’ for Canada due to the ongoing trade war.
Justin Trudeau’s emotional farewell speech (Video screengrab/Social Media)
As Mark Carney was elected the leader of Canada’s Liberal Party in a months-long, high-stakes race to replace Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister, in an emotional farewell speech, made a final dig at US President Donald Trump.
On the stage during the Liberal leadership event on Sunday in Ottawa, after his daughter Ella-Grace invited him to speak, Trudeau was seen dabbing his eyes with a tissue.
“You know as I look out across this room I have just one question, How’s the Liberal Party doing tonight?” Trudeau said at the beginning of his address.
🤮Trudeau’s daughter delivered a speech about how proud she is of her father and how she’s looking forward to not seeing him as much on social media. Then, she introduced her crying father. He delivered his own speech, but I couldn’t listen to most of it. pic.twitter.com/CsQ7mhWX1d— grungegothnicole (@NicoleFromBC) March 9, 2025
Next, Trudeau warned that Canada faces an “existential challenge” from the United States.
“For these past years… past 10 years, there have been challenges, crisis after crisis have been thrown at Canadians,” Trudeau said, adding, “but through every crisis, Canadians have shown who they are.”
“We’ve pulled together, we’ve stood up for each other and every single time, we’ve emerged even stronger,” he said.
“And now, as Canadians face, from our neighbour, an existential challenge, an economic crisis, Canadians are showing exactly what we are made of… by proudly embracing who we are,” Trudeau told party loyalists gathered in Ottawa, referring to Trump’s trade war and repeated remarks on annexing Canada.
(Trudeau has imposed C$30 billion of retaliatory tariffs on the United States in response to tariffs Trump levied on Canada.)
“We’re a country where we have always defended a woman’s right to chose, and we’re a country that will be diplomatic when we can, but fight when we must elbows up,” Trudeau said.
PM Justin Trudeau on his farewell address;As Canadians face from our neighbor an existential challenge, an economic crisis, Canadians are showing exactly what we’re made of… We’re a country that will be diplomatic when we can, but fight when we must— elbows up. pic.twitter.com/DalzN7DDrQ
— Ron Smith (@Ronxyz00) March 9, 2025
Justin Trudeau resigned in January, facing low approval ratings after nearly a decade in office. He announced that he would step down, forcing the ruling Liberal Party to run a quick contest to replace him.
On March 7, Trudeau broke down in front of the reporters and said, “I’ve made sure that every single day in this office, I put Canadians first, that I have people’s backs.”
“And that’s why I’m here to tell you all that we got you. Even in the very last days of this government, we will not let Canadians down today and long into the future.”
