Trudeau is right that a cynical electorate is turning away from him. A major reason for the electorate's cynicism is the cynicism of the Liberal Party in thinking the public would vote for such an unqualified lightweight simply because he is a pretty boy with a famous name.
His Blil C-51 position was maybe the most cynical thing the party has done in recent memory. It wasn't so much that he voted for it. It's that he voted for it after saying he was opposed to it. And then he compounded it by saying his vote was motivated by the fact that it's election season, and he didn't want Harper to make "political hay".
When you openly admit that you'd compromise a hugely important issue in the middle of election season, it undermines your credibility in the worst possible way. It also reminds voters of other Liberal campaign flailing, like promising to reduce the GST Federally, or spontaneously cancelling gas plants in Ontario that ended up costing the province millions. This is a party that's MAIN WEAKNESS is the worry they'll say or do anything to get elected.
It seemed like voters were willing to suspend their disbelief while Trudeau brought back fond feelings of yesteryear. But now the cynicism is back in full force. And everything the Liberals have tried on damage control -- trying to change focus with big policy announcements, going back to defending Bill C-51 on security, then promising they're just now working on specific ways to dismantle Bill C-51 (but that we have to wait), and then trying to brand the other parties as the cynical ones -- it all reeks.
He's going to have a hard time getting that stink off.