Toronto: Hours after the shock resignation of his second-in-command, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was barely clinging on to power even as over a third of the ruling Liberal Party’s MPs called for a change in leadership.
Canadian media outlets reported on Monday evening that Trudeau has not yet decided whether he will remain as PM or resign. The number of rebel MPs who have sought his ouster have grown to nearly 60 of the 153-strong caucus in the House of Commons.
At a caucus meeting on Monday evening, Trudeau faced renewed calls for a quick departure after Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland made the bombshell announcement in the morning that she was quitting the Cabinet. In a letter posted on social media, Freeland said she and the PM themselves “at odds about the best path forward for Canada”. “On Friday, you told me you no longer want me to serve as your Finance Minister and offered me another position in the Cabinet. Upon reflection, I have concluded that the only honest and viable path is for me to resign from the Cabinet,” she said, adding pointedly that she favoured “eschewing costly political gimmicks, which we can ill afford and which make Canadians doubt that we recognise the gravity of the moment”.
That was the breaking point for several MPs as they sought Trudeau’s resignation. Anthony Housefather, MP from Quebec, told the network CTV, “Incumbents have a certain shelf life in a social media age, I believe the prime minister has passed that shelf life.” Several MPs sought Trudeau’s resignation at the Monday evening caucus meeting.
But Trudeau has yet to decide on whether he will continue over their opposition.
He appointed close confidant Dominic LeBlanc as the new finance minister. He made his first public appearance at a party event in the town of Gatineau in Quebec, and said it had been “an eventful day, not an easy day”.
However, he gave no hint on his own future. “It’s the absolute privilege of my life to serve as your Prime Minister,” Trudeau said. He said Canada was the best country in the world but “not perfect”, adding, “That’s why I wake up every single day thinking about how to make this nation work better for all Canadians.” However, unlike in the past, he did not make a definite statement that he will continue as PM till the next election, which is scheduled for October next year.
However, the principal opposition Conservatives called for an immediate election given the chaos roiling the government. In a barbed comment, opposition leader Pierre Poilievre said, “No one has confidence in Trudeau, not even his own cabinet ministers. Except Jagmeet Singh.”
That reference was to the New Democratic Party (NDP) leader, who has helped Trudeau’s government survive three no confidence motions this year, the latest last week. While Singh also called on Trudeau to resign, he did not commit to voting the government out in case of another no -onfidence motion.
Other leaders sought Trudeau’s exit: “Mr. Trudeau’s government is over. He must acknowledge that and act accordingly,” Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said.
Freeland’s resignation was unexpected though she was joined by another Cabinet colleague Sean Fraser on Monday. In all, five Cabinet ministers have resigned this year and four others have said they will not contest the next election, which now appears to be likely in the spring of 2025.
Freeland resigned before she presented the Government’s Fall Economic Statement, which stated the deficit for 2023-24 was at 61.9 billion Canadian dollars ($43.4 billion), over 50% higher than the approximately 40 billion Canadian dollars ($ 28 billion) she had promised to adhere to earlier this year.
Trudeau faces multiple crises including a threat from United States President-elect Donald Trump to impose a 25 per cent tariff on imports from Canada if Ottawa did not curtail illegal immigration and the flow of dangerous drugs including fentanyl into America.
That challenge comes at a juncture where Trudeau is facing strong political headwinds, with his party trailing the Conservatives by nearly 20 points in recent polls, signalling potential electoral rout.
Parliament is scheduled to adjourn for the year on Tuesday and the only item on Trudeau’s itinerary for the day is attending the National Caucus holiday party, where he will deliver remarks.
