The Liberal MPs who openly expressed their desire for a change in leadership within their party were disappointed with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s quick decision to continue in his role after a tense caucus meeting. Some MPs suggested during the meeting on Oct. 23 that Trudeau should step down to enhance the party’s chances in the upcoming election. He was given until Oct. 28 to consider the feedback from the caucus meeting and provide a response.
At a press conference on immigration less than 24 hours later, Trudeau affirmed to reporters that he would remain as the leader. Liberal MPs Sean Casey and Wayne Long, who were among the few to publicly criticize Trudeau, expressed disappointment that he did not take more time to contemplate his decision.
Casey mentioned that Trudeau seemed resolved in his decision and did not seem swayed by the concerns raised during the meeting. Despite some MPs expressing support for Trudeau, Casey and Long felt that more reflection was necessary. They acknowledged that the party lacked a mechanism for caucus members to remove a leader, making it ultimately Trudeau’s decision to stay on.
Long, who will not seek re-election, emphasized the need for a new vision and leadership to prevent a fate similar to the decline of the Ontario Liberals under Kathleen Wynne in 2018. Other Liberal MPs who did not publicly take a stance on the leadership issue mentioned that Trudeau had to provide a response when questioned by reporters, but they believed he would take the time to reflect on the feedback before making a final decision. They refrained from expressing their personal views on whether Trudeau should step down, leaving it up to the Prime Minister to decide.
“I trust that my colleagues have better judgment than that,” he told reporters when asked about the issue, emphasizing the importance for the Liberals to prevent a Poilievre victory.
The Liberals, with 153 seats, currently rely on the NDP or the Bloc Québécois for support in confidence votes to stay in power. The Bloc has set an Oct. 29 deadline for the government to pass two of its private member’s bills. Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet has threatened to engage with other opposition parties to overthrow the government if the bills aren’t approved on time.
Both bills are at different stages of parliamentary review and are unlikely to be passed by the deadline.
The Bloc and Tories collectively hold 152 seats, necessitating a substantial number of Liberal MPs to defect if the NDP, with 25 seats, continues to support the minority government.
