Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing one of the most serious political challenges of his nine-year tenure as unhappy members of his Liberal Party expressed their frustrations during a closed-door meeting on Wednesday.
According to reports, up to 24 lawmakers signed a letter urging Trudeau to resign by October 28, citing dissatisfaction with his leadership and the party’s poor polling results. While Trudeau is in no immediate danger of being ousted, the meeting marked a significant moment in his leadership as several MPs demanded change ahead of the next election, which must take place by October 2025.
However, after the three-hour session, Trudeau emerged with a smile, saying that the “Liberal Party is strong and united,” and reaffirming his intention to lead the party into the next election. However, this optimism was not shared by all in the room.
"What was happening there ... is really about MPs telling the prime minister the truth, whether he likes to hear it or not," said immigration ,minister Marc Miller, a close Trudeau ally.
Calls for resignation grow after election lossesThe push for Trudeau to step down gained momentum after the Liberals lost two of their safest parliamentary seats in recent byelections in June and September. Many MPs are concerned about the lack of preparation for the next election, especially as polling data shows the Liberals trailing the Conservatives. A recent Nanos Research poll from October 15 placed the Conservatives at 39%, the Liberals at 23%, and the New Democrats at 21%—a result that would hand the Conservatives a comfortable majority if replicated in a general election.
Backbench MP John McKay described the meeting as a “candid conversation,” while fellow Liberal Nathaniel Erskine-Smith urged Trudeau to “listen to the feedback” and present a plan to address the growing concerns within the party.