Pressure is mounting on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down as more Liberal MPs are calling for his resignation after a chaotic week for the party. Over 50 out of 75 Liberal MPs from Ontario held a meeting on Saturday where many expressed the desire for Trudeau to leave, stating that his brand has become toxic. Details of the meeting were reported by various news outlets, and the Ontario Liberal caucus chair, Michael Coteau, was tasked with communicating the contents to Trudeau in hopes of a quick decision.
One of the MPs who attended the meeting, Chandra Arya, released a letter calling on Trudeau to step aside immediately, stating that a majority of the Liberal caucus no longer supports his leadership. Arya did not disclose what happened at the meeting but mentioned that the number of Liberal MPs calling for Trudeau’s resignation is increasing. Trudeau was in Ottawa on Sunday, and with the new Trump administration taking office on Jan. 20, there is a sense of urgency to elect a new party leader. Chrystia Freeland, who resigned from the Liberal cabinet, is considered a credible replacement by Arya, although her spokesperson mentioned that it is still premature to discuss her taking over.
Trudeau’s leadership has been on shaky ground for months, but it became more unstable after Freeland’s resignation threw the government into chaos. A growing number of Liberal MPs are publicly calling on Trudeau to step aside and make way for a new leader ahead of a likely early election. Montreal’s Anthony Housefather stated that the vast majority of his caucus colleagues feel that Trudeau should resign, and recent polling shows a drop in popularity for Trudeau and the Liberals, with nearly three-quarters of Canadians believing he should step down.
The pressure on Trudeau to resign comes after a tumultuous week for the Liberal Party, with increasing calls for his departure from various members of the party. The meeting of over 50 Ontario Liberal MPs highlighted the concerns about Trudeau’s leadership, with many expressing the view that he should step down due to the toxicity of his brand. The resignation of Chrystia Freeland from the cabinet further exacerbated the situation, leading to more MPs openly calling for Trudeau to resign and make way for a new leader ahead of a potential early election.
While Trudeau’s leadership has been unstable for some time, recent events have intensified the calls for his resignation. The decline in support for the Liberals in recent polls and the growing discontent among caucus members add to the pressure on Trudeau to make a decision about his future as party leader. The urgency to elect a new leader before the inauguration of the new Trump administration highlights the need for a quick resolution to the leadership crisis within the Liberal Party. The coming days are crucial as Trudeau contemplates his next steps amidst mounting calls for his resignation.
