Trudeau is facing mounting pressure from his party, with dissident Liberal MPs giving him an ultimatum to decide his future by October 28. During the caucus meeting on Wednesday, a document was presented outlining the case for Trudeau’s resignation, but it didn’t specify any consequences if he fails to meet the deadline.
CBC News reported that sources from Radio-Canada said 24 MPs signed an agreement to call on Trudeau to step down as Liberal leader.
During the meeting, MP Patrick Weiler from British Columbia introduced a document advocating Trudeau’s resignation. The document proposed that the Liberal party could potentially experience a comeback akin to the resurgence witnessed by the Democrats when US President Joe Biden chose not to seek election in the forthcoming presidential race.
During the three-hour meeting, MPs were given two minutes each to address the room. Sources said that about 20—none of them cabinet ministers—stood up to urge Trudeau to step aside before the next election. However, CBC News reported that several MPs also stood to voice support for the prime minister.
Marc Miller, Immigration Minister, has acknowledged the frustrations of some Liberal MPs and expressed respect for those who voiced their concerns directly to Trudeau.
“Fundamentally, this is something that has been simmering for some time and it’s important for people to get it out. This isn’t a code red situation. The prime minister can sure as hell handle the truth,” CBC News reported.
The escalating tensions between India and Canada have indeed fueled the latest political rift in Canada.
The ties between India and Canada soured after Trudeau alleged in the Canadian Parliament last year that he has “credible allegations” of India’s hand in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
India has denied all the allegations, calling them “absurd” and “motivated,” and has accused Canada of giving space to extremist and anti-India elements in their country.
Najjar, who was designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed outside a Gurdwara in Surrey in June last year.
The recent diplomatic row erupted when Canada labeled India’s High Commissioner and other diplomats as “persons of interest” in the investigation of Nijjar’s death.
