TORONTO (AP) — Under mounting pressure to step down, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is anticipated to address his political future later this week. Trudeau, who has witnessed a decline in popularity due to a variety of issues such as escalating food and housing costs, has maintained a public silence in recent weeks despite increasing calls for his resignation following the sudden departure of his finance minister on December 16. Following the Christmas break, the prime minister has now returned to Ottawa.
“His prolonged silence in the wake of this political turmoil speaks volumes about his current vulnerability,” remarked Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Even though all three opposition parties have indicated their readiness to support a motion to overthrow Trudeau’s minority government, Parliament is presently adjourned, making the immediate threat less pressing. However, members within his own party are growing vocal in urging his resignation, further complicating his position.
Nevertheless, there is presently no expedient method for Trudeau’s party to compel his resignation. If he manages to hold on until Parliament resumes later this month, his Liberal party could potentially be ousted from power through a vote of no confidence, paving the way for a likely advantage to the opposing Conservative Party.
Initially celebrated for his role in steering the country back to its liberal roots upon his election in 2015, the 53-year-old leader has since experienced a significant decline in popularity. This political turmoil comes at a challenging juncture for Canada.
Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump has issued threats of imposing a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods unless Canada addresses what he perceives as an influx of migrants and drugs into the United States — despite significantly fewer instances of such crossings from Canada compared to Mexico. Trudeau is slated to participate remotely in a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Canada-U.S. Relations on Monday.
Should Trudeau opt to step down as party leader, the Liberals could potentially delay Parliament’s return to facilitate the selection of a new leader. Given the absence of a clear majority in Parliament, Trudeau’s Liberals have relied on the NDP’s support for years to pass legislation and maintain their position. However, this support has now waned — NDP leader Jagmeet Singh explicitly stated last month that the NDP intends to vote against the government. Similar sentiments have been echoed by other opposition parties.
