Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wants Americans to know Canada has more to offer than just “maple syrup and mountains.”
During a Monday night appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the Canadian political leader got laughs from the audience as he tried to set Canada apart from the U.S. and boast about what makes the northern nation successful on the world stage.
There were also several more sombre moments from Trudeau’s appearance, with the prime minister noting it’s a “tough time” for many Canadians. Part of the night’s conversation focused on far-right nationalism and growing political division among people in both Canada and the U.S.
Colbert said Trudeau’s main political opponent, Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre, has been called “the Trump of Canada.”
In response, Trudeau said Canada is not exempt from extremist rhetoric or xenophobia. He did not cite any specific examples.
“We’re not some magical place of unicorns and rainbows all the time,” he said. “The things that we’ve managed to do, we’ve had to work really, really hard at.”
Trudeau mentioned universal health care, ongoing efforts against climate change and dental care for low-income Canadians as policies that “we have to fight for” continually.
“There’s a big argument right now about whether dental care even exists,” Trudeau said. “We’ve delivered it to 700,000 people across the country and my opponent is gaslighting us and saying, ‘Dental care doesn’t even exist yet.’”
Earlier this month, Conservative MP Stephen Ellis said the government has failed in the delivery of subsidized dental care and claimed most Canadians don’t qualify for coverage or must still pay out of pocket for services.
The Canada Dental Care Plan is accepting applications from people over the age of 65, for children under the age of 18 and those who receive the Disability Tax Credit. Applicants need to be confirmed, and then will be enrolled with Sun Life which manages the means-tested plan, which is open to those whose adjusted family net income is less than $90,000 per year and who don’t have access to dental care programs through employer plans, private coverage, or student or pension benefits.
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Additional eligibility phases will roll out next year.
Trudeau’s appearance comes as he is set to face a vote on a non-confidence motion in the House of Commons, put forward by the Conservatives on Tuesday and coming to a vote on Wednesday. If the vote is lost, Canada could see a snap election, but the NDP and Bloc Quebecois have indicated they will support the Liberals in defeating the motion.
“It’s a really tough time for people in Canada right now,” Trudeau said. “People are hurting. People are having trouble paying for groceries, paying for rent, filling up the tank.”
“People are frustrated and the idea that maybe they want an election now is something that my opponents are trying to bank on because people are taking a lot out on me, for understandable reasons,” he said. “I’ve been here, and I’ve been steering us through all these things and people are sometimes looking at change.”
The prime minister said he will “keep fighting” to support Canadians and added that “Canada’s the best country in the world.”
Trudeau described the country’s “beautiful” wilderness and scenery, but maintained “Canada is about the people.”
“It’s a range of people from every possible background who come together and — a little different from the melting pot in the United States where everyone gets to be American — we try to celebrate differences, and people keep their cultures and keep their languages.”
Colbert, while noting that Canada is America’s “closest ally,” asked Trudeau what the two nations fight about.
The prime minister said there are many “small issues that matter” between both countries, but claimed the U.S. pays too much in tariffs on softwood lumber.
This summer, the U.S. announced a 14.54 per cent duty rate on Canadian softwood lumber imports — an increase from the former 8.05 per cent tariff.
Colbert half-joked that many Americans also cross the U.S.-Canada border to buy cheaper drugs outside of the country.
“We’re happy to try and help you out, but it would be a lot easier if you guys had universal health care,” Trudeau said, earning cheers from the in-studio audience.
In lighter moments from Trudeau’s Late Show appearance, he joked Canadians, despite the stereotype for always saying “sorry,” would not apologize for the nominal differences between bacon and back bacon (or as Americans call it, Canadian bacon).
Trudeau has been Canada’s prime minister since 2015. This week, he travelled to New York City ahead of the 79th United Nations General Assembly. This year marks the UN’s first-ever Summit of the Future, which gathers world leaders to discuss themes including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change and human rights.
Trudeau said attending the General Assembly makes him feel both more and less hopeful about the future.
“You have to be fundamentally hopeful in this job, and particularly in this time where challenges are monumental,” he said of politicians. “But if you don’t believe you can actually work with others and make a positive difference, then you’re not in the right line of work.”
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‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ airs on Global at 11:30 p.m. ET on weeknights.
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