'Get away from your inner circle': Liberal MP 'shocked' PM didn't take more time to reflect on calls to resign
Longtime Liberal MP Wayne Long says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should give more weight to the views of his backbenchers in determining his future leading the Party, rather than relying on those in his immediate orbit.
鈥淪eriously, get away from your inner circle,鈥 Long told CTV鈥檚 Question Period host Vassy Kapelos, in an interview airing Sunday. 鈥淚 don't want to name names, but get away from people, because obviously, prime ministers are somewhat insulated.鈥
He says he understands and respects it, but Trudeau should 鈥済et away from that inner circle.鈥
Long said he鈥檚 鈥渟hocked鈥 to reflect on his future at the helm of the party, after sources told 麻豆影视 he promised caucus Wednesday he鈥檇 take time to consider their calls for him to step down.
Those sources also told 麻豆影视 at least two dozen MPs told Trudeau they鈥檇 like him to step aside during the meeting, over the course of the first ninety minutes.
But in a press conference fewer than 18 hours later, Trudeau was adamant he鈥檚 running again, a statement which caught some in his caucus, including Long, by surprise.
鈥淚 think we had hoped for serious reflection,鈥 he told Kapelos. 鈥淩eflection in 18 hours tells me the Prime Minister, with respect, already had his mind made up.鈥
Long described the meeting as 鈥渋ntense, direct, blunt,鈥 and said the number of MPs who want Trudeau to call it quits is likely 鈥渄ouble鈥 what is being reported.
鈥淚'm a three-term MP,鈥 Long said. 鈥淚've got some seasoning, some battle scars. For me to stand direct against the prime minister at caucus and say that 鈥榶ou need to step down鈥, it's one thing. But give some credit to the other people that did stand up, 24 on the list, but you know, young MPs, new MPs, a wide array of MPs that stood up, that took a lot of courage. A lot of courage."
The New Brunswick MP said while it was promised at every national caucus retreat since 2022 that Liberal fortunes would turn around, it鈥檚 still 鈥渓ike people are oblivious to what鈥檚 going on around us.鈥
The Liberals have trailed behind the Conservatives in the polls for more than a year, oftentimes by as much as 20 points.
Long, who has already announced he will not run again in the next election, said 鈥渘obody鈥檚 happy鈥 to be among those voicing calls for Trudeau to quit, but that the party is 鈥渂igger than one person.鈥
鈥淚t's bigger than Justin Trudeau, straight up,鈥 Long said, adding he鈥檚 confident if the Prime Minister steps aside, 鈥渉istory is going to be very kind to Justin Trudeau.鈥
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