Canada’s Trudeau under mounting pressure as dozens of Liberal MPs push for resignation

The pressure comes after a turbulent week for Trudeau, including the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland over spending disagreements and a declaration by opposition parties to unite and bring down his minority government. So far, 18 MPs have publicly called for Trudeau to step down.

Freeland’s repudiation of  Trudeau, after more than a decade as one of his closest allies, has thrown Ottawa into chaos. Her departure has led the New Democratic Party (NDP) to withdraw its support for Trudeau’s minority government, intensifying pressure on him to step aside.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh announced on Friday that his party intends to oust Trudeau when the House of Commons reconvenes in January, likely triggering a spring election.

Liberal MPs from Ontario, Trudeau’s traditional base of support, have been vocal in their desire for new leadership. According to The Star, none of them argued for Trudeau to lead the party into the next election. Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, recently appointed as housing minister, cautiously remarked that Trudeau’s future “depends” on who might be available to succeed him.

Despite the widespread calls for change, many MPs have expressed a desire for Trudeau to step down on his own terms. Quebec MP Anthony Housefather told CBC that the “vast majority” of MPs he’s spoken to believe Trudeau should resign, even if they haven’t publicly stated their position.

Potential successors to Trudeau include Freeland, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, and former central bank governor Mark Carney. Despite the mounting demands, Trudeau reportedly plans to spend the holidays with family and take a skiing trip in British Columbia. According to sources cited by The Globe and Mail and Reuters, he intends to reflect on his future over the festive season.

Opposition parties argue that Canada urgently needs a stable government, particularly with the incoming US administration threatening a 25% tariff on Canadian imports. Polls indicate that the Liberals would suffer a crushing defeat against the opposition Conservatives in an election.

Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump wasted no time mocking the unfolding political turmoil, referring to Trudeau as “governor” and dubbing Canada the “51st US state.” Trump also took credit for Canada’s new border security plan, suggesting it was introduced to counter his tariff threats.

Over the weekend, the Liberal Party released an advertisement warning that a Conservative victory would lead to cuts in public spending, notably omitting any mention of Trudeau. The Prime Minister’s options include staying on until a likely no-confidence vote in March, stepping down in January to allow an interim leader to take charge, or proroguing Parliament to buy time for leadership preparations—a move that risks alienating voters further.

The growing dissent within the Liberal Party, combined with the loss of NDP support, puts Trudeau’s political future on precarious ground as the country inches closer to a potential spring election.