trudeau was supposed to be putting a focus on rehabilitating canada's image abroad in the face of so many years of disastrous policy from stephen harper.  and, he had a mandate to do this - it was a key issue in the election, a ballot issue, something that got people out to vote.

supporting the overthrow of a legitimately elected government in latin america - one that is in fact quite compliant - in order to wag the dog for an unpopular american president isn't exactly what people had in mind.