OTTAWA — Following more than a year of plummeting poll numbers and surging pressure from within his own caucus to step aside, Justin Trudeau told Canadians Monday that he will resign as Liberal leader and prime minister as soon as a new leader is chosen.
"This country deserves a real choice in the next election and it has become clear to me that if I'm having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election," a teary-eyed Trudeau said outside his official residence in Ottawa Monday morning.
Trudeau said he had reflected on his political future over the holidays and told his kids about his decision over dinner Sunday.
He also said he met with Gov. Gen. Mary Simon on Monday morning and that she has agreed to his request to prorogue Parliament until March 24.
Calls for him to step aside have been gaining steam for months but internal pressure from his own caucus rose to new heights after Chrystia Freeland quit as minister of finance and deputy prime minister on Dec. 16 after Trudeau had informed her he was going to move her out of the finance portfolio.
Her departure, hours before she was to table the fall economic statement in the House of Commons sent shock waves through the government and the party.
It's the first time the prime minister has taken questions from media since Freeland stepped down from cabinet last month, although he has limited his public appearances throughout the past year as pressure mounted against him.
Questions about Trudeau's future have been swirling since support for his party began to tumble in 2023. The Liberals have trailed the Conservatives by more than 20 points for more than a year now.
He said he asked for Parliament to be prorogued because the House of Commons has been paralyzed for months through obstruction and needs a reset. Proroguing Parliament will put the legislature on pause for two months and wipe clear the current slate of legislation and delay opportunities for non-confidence votes that could trigger an election.
"It's time for the temperature to come down, for people to have a fresh start in parliament to be able to navigate through these complex times domestically and internationally," he said. "Removing me from the equation as the leader who will fight the next election for the Liberal party should also decrease the level of polarization we're seeing right now in the House and in Canadian politics."
The House of Commons had been scheduled to return Jan. 27 but the Conservatives intended to begin pushing a new non-confidence vote in a committee as early as this week.
In the meantime, Trudeau said he asked Liberal party president Sachit Mehra Sunday night to immediately launch a leadership race ahead of the next election.
Mehra said in a statement Monday that he will call a national board meeting this week to begin the "nation-wide democratic process of selecting a new leader of the party."
The next election has to be held by October of this year, but an earlier vote appears much more likely.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre sought to immediately cast this as a desperate political move by a sputtering Liberal party, whose MPs stood by their leader right up until he cratered in the polls and was no longer a viable candidate.
"Their only objection is that he is no longer popular enough to win an election and keep them in power," Poilievre said in a statement. "They want to protect their pensions and paycheques by sweeping their hated leader under the rug months before an election to trick you, and then do it all over again."
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh also said this move changes nothing in the political landscape as Canadians struggle with the high cost of living the government has failed to fix.
"It doesn't matter who leads the Liberals," Singh said in a statement. "They don't deserve another chance."
Trudeau's decision comes two weeks before Donald Trump is sworn back into office as president of the United States and Trudeau will remain at the helm during what is expected to be a rocky start to Trump's second term in the Oval Office. Trump has threatened to impose steep import tariffs on all Canadian goods the day he is inaugurated.
Following his announcement Monday, Trudeau was still expected to attend a cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations Monday, chaired by Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a statement following Trudeau's announcement that the federal government "must urgently explain to Canadians how they will avoid tariffs that could have devastating effects on our economy."
Canadian Chamber of Commerce CEO Candace Laing said Trudeau read the room correctly and that this was the right call.
"His resignation marks a turning point as Canada tackles unprecedented domestic and international challenges," she said. "Canada’s next prime minister must hit the ground running and be laser-focused on strengthening the Canada-U.S. trade relationship."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2024.
Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press
