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Trudeau steps down, Governor-General prorogues House of Commons
In his first meeting with Media in the New Year, Justin Trudeau made the announcement, bringing his time leading the country to a tumultuous end.
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to reporters, announcing he intends to step down as Liberal Party leader, but he will stay on in his post until a replacement has been chosen, from his Rideau Cottage residence in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, January 6, 2025. / REUTERS/Patrick Doyle
What looked inevitable has finally happened. Justin Trudeau has decided to step down as the leader of the ruling Liberal Party.
He will, however, continue till his successor is chosen. Meanwhile, he has recommended to the Governor-General that the House of Commons, which was scheduled to meet again after winter holiday recess on Jan. 27, be prorogued till March 24 so that Liberals choose a replacement for him.
The Governor-General accepted his recommendation and prorogued the House of Commons till March 24.
Justin Trudeau, who became Liberal leader in 2013 and Prime Minister in the fall of 2015, announced his long-awaited decision outside his official residence, Rideau Cottage, on Jan. 6 morning.
His hopes of becoming Canadian PM for a record fourth term, however, came crashing down after growing revolt within the party caucus.
The move to prorogue the House gets the minority Liberal government a breather as all the three main Opposition parties – Conservatives, Bloc Quebecois and the New Democrats – have been gunning for Justin Trudeau to step down to force an early election.
However, they may have to wait till the House resumes its sitting on March 24 to bring in the fourth no-confidence motion, this time against the interim Prime Minister, the choice of which will depend upon the Liberal caucus and the party administration.
Successor
Justin Trudeau’s announcement fuelled speculations about his possible successor to see the Liberal government through the remainder of the term and to take on the Liberals' key rival, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, in the next federal election.
Besides Chrystia Freeland, who quit a day before the House of Commons adjourned for winter holidays and hours before she was to present her fall Financial statement, other candidates could be Finance Minister, Dominic Le Blanc and Mark Carney, a former Governor of the Bank of Canada, who maybe a surprise choice.
But all will depend on how the Liberal caucus wants to go in the not far off elections.
Growing demand
Trudeau had been under mounting pressure to resign amid sinking public opinion polling, including from his own caucus. Initially, Liberal MPs of South Asian descent were all supportive of him. But after Chrystia Freeland made her stunning resignation letter, Chandra Arya became the first MP of South Asian descent, to demand Trudeau’s replacement. He was later joined by George Chahal.
At least two dozen individual MPs and several regional caucuses — including Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Ontario — have called for him to step down since before the holiday break.
His political future was put into a tailspin when Chrystia Freeland, long seen as his top lieutenant, resigned as finance minister and deputy prime minister last month, the day she was scheduled to present the fall economic statement.
In a letter to Justin Trudeau that was subsequently posted to social media, Freeland said she had no choice but to resign after Trudeau approached her about moving her to another cabinet role.
Freeland also took a jab at Trudeau's handling of the economy, denouncing what she called the government's "costly political gimmicks" and imploring him to work collaboratively with the country's premiers to take on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's tariffs threat.
She wrote that she and Trudeau have been "at odds" in recent weeks about how to handle the incoming U.S. administration.
The Conservatives, which have been riding high in the polls for more than a year, have promised to move a motion of non-confidence in the Liberal government as soon as possible in the new year.
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