Justin Trudeau: The Key Issues In His First Year In Office

Montreal, Canada: Justin Trudeau's come-from-behind win in an October 19 general election brought an end to 10 years of Conservative rule and set Canada on a liberal path. Here are the major issues he and his party have tackled over the past year.

ENVIRONMENT

With little time after its election to formulate a new policy ahead of last year's Paris climate summit, the Trudeau government adopted the previous administration's target for reducing Canada's greenhouse gas emissions. Ottawa ratified the accord in October 2016, but its commitment to reduce emissions by 30 percent, compared with 2005 levels, by 2030, has been panned by environmental activists and deemed by experts to be unrealistic. After failing to obtain consensus from the provinces on how to proceed, Trudeau threatened to impose a national carbon price by 2018. At the same time, Trudeau has expressed support for construction of new pipelines in order to export crude from the Alberta oil sands -- the fastest growing source of CO2 emissions in Canada.

FIGHTING THE ISIS

After following through with a campaign pledge to withdraw Canadian fighter jets from a US-led coalition bombing the ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the Trudeau government tripled the Canadian contingent of special forces troops in the war-torn region to about 200, supported by tactical helicopters.

The elite soldiers are officially there to train Kurdish militia but have often found themselves on the front lines of the conflict, painting targets and exchanging fire with the enemy. Canada has also set up a field hospital in the region and increased its humanitarian aid.

SYRIAN REFUGEES

The photo of the limp, lifeless body of Syrian boy Alan Kurdi washed up on Turkish shores in September 2015 moved Canadians and had a dramatic impact on the election in its final stretch. Trudeau on the hustings pledged to boost and fast-track Canada's intake of refugees. A massive airlift was organized to resettle 25,000 refugees in less than three months. Their numbers have since swelled to 31,000, contributing to a record number of immigrants (320,932) for the year ending June 30. The total broke a previous peak set in 2009-2010 when migrants flocked to Canada to escape economic hardships.

ABORIGINAL RECONCILIATION

Canada's indigenous peoples, including Inuit and Metis, represent 4.3 percent of the population but face an disproportionately higher rate of gross poverty and desperation that has bred abuse, suicide and crime in many native communities. The Trudeau administration has pledged Can$8.4 billion ($6.4 billion US) to respond to their desperate needs, including improved education and housing, and potable water. The government has also launched a public inquiry into the killings and disappearances of 1,200 indigenous women over the past three decades.

FEMINISM

Trudeau has often described himself as a staunch feminist and his first act as prime minister was to appoint a cabinet with an equal number of men and women. When asked why, he simply replied: "Because it's 2015." The phrase has gone viral, and has been used to defend all manner of progressive decisions.

Trudeau also made history in July 2015 when he became the first sitting Canadian prime minister to march in Toronto's Gay Pride parade, before attending similar events in Vancouver and Montreal that summer. Among G7 countries, Trudeau is the only head of government or head of state to have participated in a Gay Pride parade. Trudeau has also unveiled legislation shielding transgender people from discrimination and hate speech, and vowed pay equity in Canada's public service.

MARIJUANA

Trudeau admitted in 2013 to having smoked pot five or six times in his life, including at a dinner party with friends since being elected to parliament. He has also said that his late brother Michel was facing marijuana possession charges for a "tiny amount" of pot before his death in an avalanche in 1998, and that this influenced his decision to propose legalizing cannabis.

Canada is scheduled to become the first G7 nation in 2017 to legalize recreational use of marijuana. A marijuana task force led by a former deputy prime minister has been appointed to advise the government on new regulations.