On Wednesday, September 11, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kicked off a 40-day campaign for legislative elections with an indecisive outcome in Canada.

The Liberal leader visited Governor General Julie Payette in the morning to ask him to dissolve the Commons, the lower house of Parliament. This procedure marks the official start of an election campaign which, in fact, began several months ago.

"Canadians will have an important choice to make," he said. "Will we go back to past failed measures?" He asked with reference to his conservative predecessor Stephen Harper. "Or are we going to continue moving forward?", He added, echoing his campaign slogan "Choose to move forward".

Good economic report

Justin Trudeau will have to go along with his three main rivals: Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, New Democrat leader (NDP, left), Jagmeet Singh and Green Leader Elizabeth May. The latest polls show that the Liberals stand shoulder to shoulder with the Conservatives.

Justin Trudeau, 47, can boast about the good performance of the Canadian economy after his first term, with the lowest unemployment rate since the 1970s (5.7%) and 3.7% in the second quarter.

He can also count on his ease during election campaigns, like the one he won hands down in 2015 when polls put him in third place a few months earlier. Especially since his main opponent, Andrew Scheer, 40, less comfortable in public speaking, begins his own side the first campaign of his career.

A scandal to manage

"In the coming weeks, I will demonstrate to Canadians that Justin Trudeau has lost the moral authority to govern," said Andrew Scheer once again after a further development in the SNC-Lavalin scandal that has been undermining the government since February.

Justin Trudeau and his entourage have been accused by an official report of violating the law on ethics by putting pressure on the former Minister of Justice to intercede in favor of a Quebec company, SNC-Lavalin, to prevent him from being prosecuted for corruption. The Globe and Mail reported Wednesday that the federal police were investigating a possible obstruction of justice in this context, but that the government had refused to lift the ministerial secrecy protecting certain witnesses.

"He lied to Canadians," thundered the Conservative leader. "As Justin Trudeau breaks the law and uses his office to block police investigations, I guarantee you that my government will be honest, responsible and work for all Canadians."

Conflicting environmental policy

Party leaders have taken the road or the air to start crisscrossing the country. Andrew Scheer and Justin Trudeau each have a plane with their name in large letters on the cabin. That of the Conservative leader was diverted from his first flight due to heavy fog. Andrew Scheer finished his bus stop in Quebec before flying back to Ontario, two liberal lands. Justin Trudeau was expected at the end of the day in British Columbia, one of the provinces where his controversial environmental policy could cost him votes.

The Prime Minister is a champion of the fight against climate change. But his opponents accuse him of conducting a contradictory policy: his government has adopted a carbon tax, but has also nationalized a high price pipeline in the west of the country.

With AFP