Quebec Liberal MPs are calling for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down earlier than the subsequent federal election, International Information has discovered, changing into the third regional caucus to take action.
The Quebec MPs have been discussing the prime minister’s destiny amongst themselves because the Home of Commons rose for the winter break on Dec. 17, and got here to the conclusion Trudeau should resign, a supply with direct data of the discussions informed International Information.
Stephane Lauzon, who chairs the Quebec Liberal caucus, has been tasked to ship that message to nationwide caucus management, the supply mentioned.
Information of the Quebec MP discussions was beforehand reported by iPolitics, citing sources throughout the caucus who mentioned Lauzon had despatched a letter to the manager caucus informing them of the MPs’ choice. CBC Information and the Globe and Mail additionally reported on the conversations however didn’t verify the existence of a letter.
In a statement released Tuesday, Lauzon wouldn’t verify the non-public conversations or deny reviews of the caucus’ conclusion that Trudeau ought to resign.
Nonetheless, he mentioned there have been no official caucus conferences since Dec. 11 and that “no letter has been signed or circulated throughout the Quebec Liberal MPs Caucus earlier than, throughout, or after” that assembly.
Lauzon, who’s at the moment vacationing in another country along with his household, mentioned the Quebec caucus is holding its subsequent official assembly on Jan. 9.
The Quebec caucus’ name for Trudeau to step down comes shortly after the Ontario and Atlantic Liberal caucuses reached the identical conclusion over the winter break. It means a overwhelming majority of Liberal MPs now need the prime minister to resign.
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“These are the key planks of the Liberal basis, and if that’s the case, it turns into actually, actually tough to see how (Trudeau) can maintain going,” Lori Turnbull, a political science professor at Dalhousie College, informed International Information.
“That is loss of life by a thousand cuts.”
The supply informed International Information that Trudeau’s place was untenable and expects he would face a revolt from the total caucus if he doesn’t step apart.
In an interview that aired on The West Block last month shortly after the Home of Commons rose for the winter break, Quebec Liberal MP Anthony Housefather mentioned Trudeau must go and that the “overwhelming majority” of caucus colleagues he had spoken to privately agree with him.
A rising variety of Liberal MPs from throughout the nation have publicly urged Trudeau to resign since one-time staunch ally Chrystia Freeland abruptly resigned as finance minister and deputy prime minister final month in a stunning blow to the cupboard.
Trudeau is at the moment vacationing along with his household in B.C., however Ontario Liberal MP Chandra Arya informed International Information final month he believed the prime minister was “significantly contemplating” his future.
“It’s the query of when — that’s the key subject now, whether or not it must be completed now,” Arya mentioned.
Atlantic caucus chair and Nova Scotia MP Kody Blois penned a letter to Trudeau final month, which was shared publicly by New Brunswick MP Wayne Lengthy, that mentioned it’s not “tenable” for Trudeau to proceed to guide the celebration.
Trudeau and the Liberals have been lagging within the polls for over a 12 months however have hit new lows in current weeks.
A Dec. 20 poll by Ipsos for Global News discovered Trudeau only one level above the record-low help seen by former Liberal Chief Michael Ignatieff in 2011, with solely 23 per cent of Canadian surveyed saying they assume Trudeau deserves re-election. Almost three-quarters of respondents mentioned he ought to resign.
The ballot, which suggests 53 per cent of Canadians now need an early election, had the Liberals tied with the NDP at 20 per cent help.
Ten days after that ballot, Angus Reid launched information exhibiting the Liberals have been ending the 12 months with simply 16 per cent help — the bottom stage since 2014 and worse than what the Liberals acquired underneath Ignatieff within the 2011 election. Trudeau acquired simply 22 per cent help in that ballot.
Angus Reid additionally discovered practically half of Canadians need Trudeau to resign and make manner for a management contest to exchange him instantly, whereas two-in-five need an election as early as February.
The subsequent election is at the moment scheduled for no later than October 2025.
The Home of Commons is scheduled to return Jan. 27, and each the Conservatives and the NDP have mentioned they plan to introduce non-confidence motions to carry down the federal government and set off an election on the earliest alternative.
Turnbull mentioned it’s “very potential” that Trudeau as a substitute prorogues Parliament earlier than the Home returns — suspending all legislative and committee enterprise for a specified time interval — to both purchase himself time to stay as prime minister, or permit for a management race to exchange him.
The fast-approaching inauguration on Jan. 20 of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump — who has threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian imports — places further stress on Trudeau to both guarantee stability of presidency or permit Canadians to decide on a brand new one, Turnbull added.
“The timing of all that is actually, actually unlucky,” she mentioned.
—With recordsdata from International’s Mercedes Stephenson, Heidi Petracek, David Akin and Uday Rana
© 2025 International Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
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