Members of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s own Liberal Party asked him on Wednesday not to run for another term.
Three Liberal members of Parliament said they were among 20-plus lawmakers from the party to sign a letter asking Trudeau to step down before the next election, which can take place any time between this fall and October 2025. The letter has not been publicly released.
While over two dozen lawmakers are enough to raise alarm it’s on the lower end of the 153 Liberals in Canada’s House of Commons.
“The Liberal Party is strong and united,” a smiling Trudeau told reporters after his three-hour meeting with Liberals on Wednesday.
Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP
What Are Liberal Lawmakers Saying?
Ken McDonald, a Liberal Member of Parliament from Newfoundland who said he signed the letter, said of Trudeau, “He has to start listening, listening to the people.”
McDonald, who is not running for reelection, said some of his colleagues who plan on running for office again are nervous because of poor polling numbers.
The Conservative Party was ahead of the Liberals 38 to 25 percent in the latest Nanos poll. The poll surveyed 1,037 people and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Wayne Long of New Brunswick and Sean Casey of Prince Edward Island also publicly said that they signed the letter.
Charles Sousa, a Liberal from Mississauga Lakeshore, said Trudeau is reflecting.
“Trudeau made it very clear that he feels he’s the right choice, but he appreciates all of what is being said,” Sousa said. “I respect his decision, whatever that may be.”
John McKay, a Liberal from Ontario, called the meeting with Trudeau a candid conversation and said it was up to the prime minister whether he would remain Canada’s leader.
What Is Trudeau’s Cabinet Saying?
Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault, a Liberal, said, “There is what would you call some palace drama going on right now. And that takes us away from the number one job, which is focusing on Canadians.”
Immigration Minister Marc Miller, a Liberal and close friend of Trudeau, called anonymous griping about the prime minister “garbage” on Tuesday, but on Wednesday he seemed to change his tune.
“This is something that I think has been simmering for some time, and it’s important for people to get it out,” Miller said as he left the Liberal meeting early. “What happened in there, although it will remain confidential, is really about Members of Parliament telling the prime minister the truth whether he likes to hear it or not.”
Trudeau’s Time in Office
Trudeau became prime minister in 2015 after former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a Conservative, was in power for nearly a decade.
Canadians have been frustrated by the cost of living after the COVID-19 pandemic, which hurt economies around the globe.
During his tenure, Trudeau opened Canada’s doors wide to immigration, legalized cannabis and implemented a carbon tax aimed at fighting climate change.
“My job is not to be popular—although it helps,” Trudeau told reporters in Calgary in March in defense of his carbon tax policy. “My job is to do the right things for Canada now and do the right things for Canadians a generation from now, and that’s what I’ve been focused on. And yeah, it’s not always popular.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
