Liberal caucus meeting underway with a number of MPs set to ask Trudeau to step down
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau鈥檚 caucus is meeting this morning for its weekly gathering, this time with much higher stakes, as an evolving number of MPs is expected to confront the leader and ask him to step down.
The highly anticipated meeting is underway behind closed doors. It comes after a group of MPs organized behind the scenes for the last two weeks to ask the prime minister to reconsider his political future at the helm of the Liberal Party.
It鈥檚 unclear exactly how many MPs are part of the effort to oust him, though sources involved in organizing the letter tell 麻豆影视 it鈥檚 at least twenty.
Many MPs and cabinet ministers have also said they support the prime minister.
While some have been more overt 鈥 including longtime Liberal MP Sean Casey, who confirmed on Monday he鈥檇 signed a letter asking Trudeau to resign 鈥 some have tiptoed around the issue, refusing to directly say whether they support the prime minister, and saying instead this is an opportunity for a caucus discussion.
The Liberals have faced lacklustre polling numbers for more than a year, sometimes trailing behind the Conservatives by more than 20 points.
Plus, two recent significant byelection losses in traditionally safe Liberal seats, coupled with the end of the supply-and-confidence agreement with the NDP, have led to a more precarious Parliament. Minority government dynamics are in play, as is a looming ultimatum from the Bloc Qu茅b茅cois to potentially work with the other parties to topple the Liberals if they don鈥檛 ensure two Bloc-led bills become law.
On his way into Wednesday鈥檚 meeting, Liberal MP Ken McDonald said when he signed the pledge, it was 鈥渙n top of a clean page,鈥 but he鈥檚 under the impression that about 20 MPs have also signed on.
鈥淚 think caucus is nervous because of the polling that's been constantly going down in favour of Liberals,鈥 he said, adding he hopes to stay in caucus until the next election, at which point he will not be running again.
He said voting with the Opposition is an option going forward, depending on the results from today鈥檚 meeting, but that it鈥檚 not something he鈥檚 currently considering.
Trudeau arrived for the meeting an hour and a half early, with his suit jacket slung over his shoulder, smiling at reporters and wishing them a 鈥済ood day,鈥 though he didn鈥檛 stop for questions.
He has insisted he鈥檒l lead the party into the next election, and when asked directly on Tuesday whether he鈥檚 worried about his leadership, he replied simply 鈥淣o.鈥
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, meanwhile, said on Tuesday she is 鈥渕ore confident鈥 than ever, based on conversations she鈥檚 had in the last couple days, that 鈥渢he vast majority of Liberal MPs support the prime minister.鈥
The decision on whether to step down is ultimately up to Trudeau, with no formal mechanism in place that caucus can use to force him out.
This is a developing story. More details to come.
With files from 麻豆影视鈥 Rachel Aiello, Rachel Hanes, and Noah Wachter
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