Trudeau likely to resign this week, Globe reports
Justin Trudeau is expected to announce his resignation as leader of Canada’s Liberal Party this week,the Globe and Mail reported, a move that would trigger a contest to replace him as prime minister.
Trudeau has been under pressure from elected lawmakers in his party to quit for months. That has only intensified sinceChrystia Freeland, his finance minister, stepped down on Dec. 16, saying she and the prime minister were at odds on policy.
Trudeau’s decision about what to do next is being held very closely, according to a person close to the prime minister. The Globe report, which cited people the newspaper didn’t identify, did not say that Trudeau has firmly made up his mind to give up power.
Liberal lawmakers are scheduled to hold a caucus meeting on Wednesday.
After the split with Freeland, some of Trudeau’s closest advisers held the view that the prime minister would be unable to survive the political fallout, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News.
More than 20 Liberal members of parliament have publicly called for Trudeau’s departure, and even more have said in private meetings that the prime minister has no choice but to leave. The Liberals have 153 seats in the House of Commons, including Trudeau’s.
“The country could face instability, notably from an economic threat in the potential of a 25 per cent U.S. tariff on Canadian imports from the incoming administration,” said a recent letter sent to the prime minister by Kody Blois, who leads a group of Liberal members from the four easternmost provinces. “Simply put, time is of the essence,” Blois said, adding that it’s “not tenable for you to remain as the leader.”
The Canadian currency strengthened as much as 0.4 per cent to $1.4388 per U.S. dollar
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