Canadians say Trudeau is the country's worst Prime Minister since the 1960s

Justin Trudeau is more unpopular than he's ever been among Canadians and that dislike was on display when the results of a poll on the best and worst Canadian Prime Ministers were published in September 2024.

Research & Co. released its latest polling results on the best and worst Canadian Prime Ministers since the late 1960s and Trudeau was voted the worst. However, there was one big caveat. Trudeau was also seen as one of the country's best Prime Ministers, too. 

The survey polled 1,002 Canadians on who they thought were the best and worst Prime Ministers going all the way back to John Turner in the 1960s, which was how Trudeau was voted both one of the best and the absolute worst Canadian PM in the same survey. Let’s look at the results. 

When it comes to the worst Prime Minister since the late 1960s, you already know who took the top spot: Justin Trudeau, and he did so with 38% of the vote. However, you may be surprised by which of the other 8 possible candidates took the number two spot on the worst list. 

Stephan Harper was Prime Minister just prior to Trudeau and the Liberals being voted into office and 16% of those surveyed thought he was the second worst Prime Minister since the late 1960s. Harper saw a one-point drop in that percentage since 2023. Let's look at how the others faired. 

Vote Percentage: 7%

Difference from 2023: +2

Vote Percentage: 6%

Difference from 2023: -1

Vote Percentage: 3%

Difference from 2023: -3

Vote Percentage: 3%

Difference from 2023: no difference

Vote Percentage: 3%

Difference from 2023: no difference

Vote Percentage: 2% 

Difference from 2023: no difference

Vote Percentage: 2% 

Difference from 2023: +1

21% of those surveyed said they weren’t sure which Prime Minister since the late 1960s had been the worst, which was a 4-point decrease from the percentage recorded in 2023. 

Now that we know which Prime Ministers were voted the worst, let's take a look at who was voted the best. Justin Trudeau’s father, Pierre Trudeau, took the top spot in this ranking with 18% of the votes, a 2-point decrease from 2023 survey results. 

Vote Percentage: 16%

Difference from 2023: -1

Vote Percentage: 15%

Difference from 2023: +7

Vote Percentage: 10%

Difference from 2023: -2

Vote Percentage: 9%

Difference from 2023: -2

Vote Percentage: 3%

Difference from 2023: +2

Vote Percentage: 2%

Difference from 2023: -1

Vote Percentage: 2%

Difference from 2023: no difference

Vote Percentage: 1%

Difference from 2023: -1

25% of those surveyed said they weren’t sure which Prime Minister since the late 1960s was the Best. This was a one-point decrease from the percentage recorded in 2023.

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