Canada political crisis: Senior members of ruling party seek Trudeau’s early resignation
A large section of ruling party MPs, nearly half of the full contingent of 153, are now seeking an early resignation from Trudeau so that a new leader can be elected in time for the next Federal election
Toronto: Senior Liberal Party figures are seeking an early resignation from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau so he can be replaced early next year, according to a media report.
The outlet Globe and Mail reported on Monday that the party is examining two scenarios, both involving Trudeau’s prompt departure. The first involves MPs electing an interim leader who can then lead the Liberals into the next Federal election. The second envisions Trudeau okaying a change in leadership but remaining as PM while the party launches a leadership race to elect his successor.
Citing a Liberal insider, the outlet said that could lead to parliament being prorogued for up to four months, the time such a leadership contest could take. While the government is not expected to survive the next session of the House of Commons, scheduled to begin on January 29, prorogation could artificially prolong its life into the summer.
Prorogation means that parliamentary business is terminated for a specified period by the governor general, on the request of the government. It remains suspended till the next scheduled sitting as per the date fixed when MPs are summoned back.
Those manoeuvres within the party are taking place amid dire forecasts of its electoral fortune. Latest polls have shown that under Trudeau’s leadership, the Liberal Party could be heading for its worst performance since 2011, and is not even in a position to emerge as the official opposition.
A large section of ruling party MPs, nearly half of the full contingent of 153, are now seeking an early resignation from Trudeau so that a new leader can be elected in time for the next Federal election. That is scheduled for October 2025, but given the status of the government, could come as early as spring. Trudeau, of course, has told his MPs that he is reflecting on the choices before him. In fact, he undertook a Cabinet reshuffle on Friday, bringing in eight new ministers. The news outlet Globe and Mail reported on Sunday that he is unlikely to resign this year and will proceed on a skiing vacation with his family soon.
Following the bombshell resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on December 16, the party’s popularity has sunk even further. Two polls this week, from Mainstreet Research and Ekos Politics showed the Liberals polling at under 20 points and only battling the New Democratic Party (NDP) to become the third-largest party in the next House of Commons.
The latest Federal polling model from aggregator 338 Canada showed the opposition Conservative Party gaining 113 seats from its 2021 election tally to reach 232 in the next election. The Liberals, meanwhile, will drop 121, and be reduced to 39.
The Ekos poll noted, “Following the abrupt departure of Canada’s Finance Minister, the Conservative Party has widened their lead to 25 points. At 19 points, the Liberals are now below the 20-point mark for the first time since Justin Trudeau took the party helm.”
“If an election were held tomorrow, we would see an overwhelming Conservative majority with the Bloc Quebecois serving as the Official Opposition,” it added.
Meanwhile, a Mainstreet Research survey put the Conservatives at 43%, and the Liberals at just 16%. It’s founder Quito Maggi posted on X said they “asked people about their top motivation at the next election. Those telling us that ‘Getting rid of Justin Trudeau’ increased significantly. Most interesting, among Liberal voters, this increased tenfold.”
The increase in the number wanting to be rid of Trudeau is from 24.5% in November to 30.4% now.
According to the agency Ipsos, the Conservatives, at 45% support among decided voters, enjoy a 25-point advantage over the Liberals.
Nearly three-fourth, 73%, of those polled wanted Trudeau to resign as Liberal Party leader so he could be replaced. That included nearly half, or 43%, of Liberal voters.
The agency put backing for the Liberals at 20%, and noted that “is the second-lowest share of the popular vote Ipsos has ever recorded for the Liberals, who are plumbing new lows not reached since 2011 when (Michael) Ignatieff led the Liberals (19%).”
The next session of the House is scheduled to commence on January 29. The NDP, which helped the Trudeau government survive multiple no confidence motions this year, has said it will vote against it. Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has called out his NDP counterpart Jagmeet Singh in that regard, as he posted that his party “voted 8 times AGAINST AN ELECTION & for your boss Trudeau. Just 11 days ago you voted against a non-confidence motion filled with your own words. Had you voted the other way, we’d be almost half-way through the election now.”
As Trudeau turns politically radioactive, there is a growing move within the Liberal caucus to have Freeland as the leader of the next election.
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