Trudeau is facing mounting pressure from within 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.
Sources speaking to Radio-Canada said that 24 MPs signed an agreement to call on Trudeau to step down as Liberal leader, CBC News reported. During the meeting, British Columbia MP Patrick Weiler presented a document that argued in favour of Trudeau’s resignation. The document suggested that the Liberal party could experience a resurgence similar to what the Democrats saw after US President Joe Biden opted not to run for re-election for the upcoming presidential elections in the country.
MPs were given two minutes each to address the room during the three-hour-long meeting. About 20 — none of them cabinet ministers — stood up to urge Trudeau to step aside before the next election, sources said. But a number of MPs also stood to voice support for the prime minister, CBC News reported.
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 latest political rift in Canada has indeed been fuelled by the escalating tensions between India and 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. Nijjar, 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 labelled India’s High Commissioner and other diplomats as “persons of interest” in the investigation of Nijjar’s death.
