Canadian Liberal MPs to Hold Crucial Meeting on Trudeau’s Leadership

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under increasing pressure as Liberal members of parliament plan a confidence vote on Wednesday that could see him ousted as party leader. More than half of the party’s 153 MPs in the House of Commons have apparently demanded Trudeau’s resignation, and the numbers may be as high as 100.

An leadership meeting called by the Liberal caucus chair Brenda Shanahan will take place followed by regional caucus in the week before. Pressure for Trudeau’s resignation to escalate, MPs based in Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic, and recently Manitoba’s Ben Carr have called for a new leader.

With voters’ approval ratings decreasing, Trudeau has become a problem for the Liberals who are polling more than 20% behind the Conservatives. There continues to be speculation over the possible successors and these are Chrystia Freeland, the former Deputy Prime Minister Mark Carney, the former Governor of the Bank of Canada. The opinion polls show that Freeland could assist the party regain a little more than what it currently enjoys, that is, 16 percent.

The party faces critical decisions: either select an interim prime minister or trigger a four months leadership election, this would mean in effect proroguing Parliament. Prime Minister Trudeau’s position With the more unanimated and uncertain time ahead following the upcoming reassembly of Parliament on January 27, beginning the required procedures for the vote of no confidence.