Canadian PM Justin Trudeau Resigns Amid Party Revolt and Plummeting Polls

Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, resigned from his party’s leadership Monday after growing dissent over how he may have handled President-elect Trump’s threat to impose new tariffs on Canadian exports and plummeting poll numbers among the nation’s electorate.“Over the holidays, I’ve also had a chance to reflect and have had long talks with my family about our future,” he said from the steps of his residence at Rideau Cottage at Ottawa, Ontario. “Throughout the course of my career, any success I have personally achieved has been because of their support and with their encouragement.“So last night over dinner, I told my kids about the decision that I’m sharing with you today,” he said. “I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister after the party selects its next leader through a robust, nationwide competitive process. Last night, I asked the president of the Liberal Party to begin that process. This country deserves a real choice in the next election.“I care deeply about this country, and I will always be motivated by what is in the best interest of Canadians. And the fact is, despite best efforts to work through it, Parliament has been paralyzed for months after what has been the longest session of a minority Parliament in Canadian history,” he said. “That’s why this morning, I advised the Governor General that we need a new session of Parliament. She has granted this request, and the House will now be prorogued until March 24.”Mr. Trudeau, who faced an increasing revolt from within the National Caucus, also faced in recent months with abysmal poll numbers indicating that Canada’s ruling Liberal Party would be pushed out of power by conservatives in the next election.Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper first reported Mr. Trudeau’s plan to resign late Sunday, with sources close to the Prime Minister saying that he realized that he needed to announce his intentions before meeting with his liberal caucus to ensure that it does not look like he was forced out of the position by his own party.The rift within Mr. Trudeau’s party comes after President Trump announced his intentions to levy a 25 percent tariff on Canada after taking office later this month.In mid-December, Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland, suddenly stepped down after clashing with Mr. Trudeau on several issues, including how to handle the proposed tariff and overall government spending. They had disagreed on a proposed sales tax holiday and checks being doled out to citizens. Ms. Freeland was eventually told by the prime minister that she would no longer serve as finance minister and would be offered a role to manage relations with America, which she viewed as a demotion.Mr. Trudeau has seen his approval rating with the public drop in recent years. In a September Ipsos Poll, only 26 percent of respondents said he was their top pick, according to a report from the BBC.The polling places him nearly 20 points behind Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who gained prominence among voters with his promises to reduce taxes, quell inflation, and protect individual liberties.The Prime Minister first became the leader of the Liberal Party in 2013 at a time when it had been reduced to third place in the House of Commons for the first time in Canadian history. Within two years he helped the party regain its footing, largely on a liberal-left agenda.Over the past few years, Mr. Trudeau was perceived to have developed a more authoritarian leadership style, particularly during the Covid pandemic. In January 2022, “Freedom Convoy” protests were launched by a group of truckers opposed to a mandate that forced those crossing the U.S. -Canada border to be vaccinated or face sitting in quarantine upon their return. The convoy included hundreds of trucks converging upon the nation’s capitol, Ottawa, in protest and eventually expanded to include other Canadians who had grown frustrated with pandemic restrictions and mandates.Mr. Trudeau also had some policy missteps including lax immigration policies that placed a strain on healthcare, housing, and other services and growing conservative opposition to a carbon tax that added to the consumer cost of gas.New elections must occur before October, but the change in party leadership means a “snap vote” may happen sooner.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau Resigns Amid Party Revolt and Plummeting Polls

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