What Justin Trudeau told Stephen Colbert in the PM’s late-night TV debut

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said many Canadians are taking their cost-of-living frustrations “out on me for understandable reasons,” during his U.S. late-night television debut on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert Monday night.

Trudeau made those comments after Colbert asked about Tuesday’s non-confidence motion in the Trudeau Government and the Liberal party’s lagging poll numbers.

“The idea that maybe (Canadians) want an election now is something that my opponents are trying to bank on,” Trudeau told Colbert.

On Tuesday, the Conservatives will table a non-confidence motion to topple the Trudeau government and force a snap election. The fixed election date is currently set for October 2025. But the Bloc Quebecois and NDP have already said they will vote against the motion. That vote is scheduled for Wednesday.

Earlier this month after the NDP ended its supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberals, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he would seek a confidence vote “at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Speaking to Colbert, Trudeau said Canada’s economic outlook is “more positive” than the United States, but many “don’t feel it when they’re buying groceries. So there’s a lot of frustration.”

Trudeau also addressed Canada’s housing crisis.

“Some of the things that are a little trickier in Canada, where we’ve lost a little ground over the past decades on building housing,” Trudeau said. “So the housing crisis is a little sharper.”

The prime minister did sidestep an opportunity to criticize Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre after Colbert referred to the opposition leader as “Canadian Trump,” and instead pointed to programs like dental care, pharmacare and $10-a-day child care.

In his interview Monday night, Trudeau also touched on Canada’s softwood lumber dispute with the U.S. when asked by Colbert about what the two countries “fight over.”

“I mean, you guys are paying too much for your lumber because you’ve got tariffs on it, and that doesn’t make any sense,” Trudeau joked to Colbert after suggesting it was a “small” issue.

Earlier this year, the U.S. nearly doubled its duties on softwood lumber imports from Canada, from 8.05 per cent to 14.54 per cent.

In Ottawa, the federal Conservatives took issue with Trudeau’s remark.

“The U.S softwood lumber tariffs have just doubled, and what does this prime minister do? Does he make trade headlines? No, he’s not making headlines, he’s making punchlines on late night TV,” said Conservative MP Ryan Williams during Tuesday’s question period. “When is this prime minister going to figure out that he’s the punchline and that it’s time for a prime minister who will make this a large issue?”

During the segment, Colbert also asked Trudeau about Canada’s role on the world stage and the rise of far-right movements around the world.

Trudeau is currently in New York City attending the United Nations General Assembly.