‘One regret’: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigns
Justin Trudeau has announced his resignation in a bombshell press conference after suffering plummeting popularity within his party and among the public.
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has quit in a bombshell announcement, as his popularity plummets and incoming US President Donald Trump threatens massive tariffs against its closest ally.
But it was the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland last month that sealed Mr Trudeau’s fate.
The leader of Canada’s Liberal Party, which is akin to Australia’s Labor, has been in office for just over nine years.
In the Canadian capital of Ottawa on Monday, local time, Mr Trudeau said he had a chance to “reflect over the holidays” before telling his family of his decision to resign over dinner on Sunday night.
“This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it’s become clear to me that if I’m having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election,” he said outside Rideau Cottage, his residence.
Mr Trudeau said he was a “fighter” but added parliament had been “paralysed for months”.
“It’s time for a reset”, he added, and for the “temperature to come down” in Canadian politics.
Mr Trudeau revealed he had “one regret” as he prepares to leave office.
“If I have one regret, particularly as we approach this election – well, probably many regrets that I will think of,” he said.
“But I do wish we’d been able to change the way we elect our governments in this country so that people could simply choose a second choice, or a third choice on the same ballot.”
Mr Trudeau has asked that parliament be suspended until March.
Canada has a similar parliamentary system to Australia with King Charles as head of state. The new party leader will become Canada’s next PM. A general election has to be called by late 2025.
Mr Trudeau will stay in his post until a new leader of the Liberal Party is elected.
Ms Freeland is seen as a frontrunner to become PM, but other names include ex Bank of Canada and Bank of England boss Mark Carney.
Freeland and Trump’s double whammy
Mr Trudeau, 53, swept to power in 2015 and led the Liberals to two more ballot box victories in 2019 and 2021. But the Liberals only just managed to scrape into office at the last general election with a minority government.
He now trails his main rival, the Conservative Party’s Pierre Poilievre, by 20 points in public opinion polls.
In recent months, his government narrowly survived a series of no-confidence votes and critics calling for his resignation.
In December, the New Democratic Party, which had been key to keeping the Liberals in power, withdrew its support.
Mr Trudeau has faced further pressure from incoming US president Donald Trump, who has threatened a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods, and publicly belittled Mr Trudeau.
Reacting to Mr Trudeau’s resignation, Mr Trump shared a post on Truth Social suggesting the Canada should merge with the US to form a “great nation”.
“Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State,” Mr Trump wrote.
“The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned.
“If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!”
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland quit in December after disagreeing with Mr Trudeau over how to respond to Mr Trump’s apparent tariff plan, in the first open dissent against the Prime Minister within his cabinet.
Mr Trudeau announced a major shake-up to his cabinet later that month, changing a third of his team in a bid to settle the political turmoil.
He travelled to Florida in November to meet with Mr Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in a bid to head off a trade war.
‘He let you down’
Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said “nothing has changed” with Mr Trudeau’s resignation.
“Every Liberal MP and leadership contender supported everything Trudeau did for nine years, and now they want to trick voters by swapping in another Liberal face to keep ripping off Canadians for another four years, just like Justin,” Mr Poilievre said.
“The only way to fix what Liberals broke is a carbon tax election to elect common sense Conservatives who will bring home Canada’s promise.”
The leader of the New Democrats, Jagmeet Singh, laid into Mr Trump after Mr Trudeau’s resignation.
“Justin Trudeau’s Liberals let down Canadians. They let you down on home prices. They let you down on healthcare. They let you down by allowing corporate greed to run wild.
“Even with the country facing another serious blow to Canadian jobs and our cost of living – this time from Donald Trump – they’re still focused only on themselves and their political fate,” he said in a statement.
Son of former PM
The eldest son of the charismatic former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, who died in 2000, Justin Trudeau came late to politics after working as a snowboard instructor, bartender, bouncer and teacher.
He was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008 to represent a working-class Montreal neighbourhood.
He brought in Senate reforms, signed a new trade deal with the United States and introduced a carbon tax to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions during his first two terms as prime minister.
The father of three also legalised cannabis, held a public inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and passed legislation permitting medically assisted suicide.
In 2023, Mr Trudeau separated from his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau after 18 years of marriage.
They were wed in Montreal in 2005 but made fewer public appearances together in recent years.
They announced their separation on social media saying the decision followed “meaningful and difficult conversations”.
“We remain a close family with deep love and respect for each other and for everything we have built and will continue to build,” a statement said.
The couple share three children, Xavier, 17, Ella-Grace 16, and Hadrien, 11.
Originally published as ‘One regret’: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigns
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