Justin Trudeau ‘reflecting on his future’ amid new calls to resign after deputy Chrystia Freeland quits

A senior member of Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party says he’s considering calls for him to step aside and there’s no certainty he’ll remain as PM following his Finance Minister’s resignation.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing calls to resign. Picture: AFP.

Canadian Prime Minister is reportedly “reflecting on his future,” as a third of his party caucus urges him to step aside after the bombshell resignation of his deputy Prime Minister on Tuesday (AEDT).

Chrystia Freeland made the surprise announcement on Monday (local time), after disagreeing with her boss over US President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff proposals, spurring new calls for Mr Trudeau to quit.

Ms Freeland’s resignation could prove to be the last straw for Mr Trudeau, whose rock-bottom popularity is plummeting further following opposition attacks and Mr Trump’s tariff threats.

While Mr Trudeau isn’t expected to make a decision before the Christmas holiday season, Canadian media reports it is not at all clear if he will opt to stay on.

A senior member of his Liberal party told the Toronto Star it was fair to say Mr Trudeau is reflecting on his future and the source could not say for certain that he would continue to lead the Liberal party.

Canada’s House of Commons rose on Tuesday for a six-week break, with MPs not expected to return until late January, giving Mr Trudeau time to contemplate his future.

Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson told The Canadian Press: “The prime minister, as I understand it, a number of caucus colleagues have said that the prime minister has said that he will reflect on both the decision that minister Freeland made, but also what he’s heard from members of his own caucus

“I think we all need to give him a little time to reflect, and I respect that fact that he’s going to take some time to reflect.”

The move by Ms Freeland, who had spent nearly a decade at Mr Trudeau’s side, marked the first open dissent against him from within his cabinet and has emboldened critics.

A small group of Liberal MPs who previously urged the Prime Minister to step aside, hoping a fresh face could breathe new life into their beleaguered party, has reportedly ballooned and now represents one-third of the party caucus.

Among them, Yvan Baker told public broadcaster CBC: “I think it’s in the best interest of the country and of the party” to transition to a new Liberal leader before the next elections.

“Canadians want change,” he said.

“He should resign,” echoed Liberal MP Helena Jaczek.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford warned: “As a country we have to project strength and unity, and it’s chaos right now up in Ottawa.”

When the news broke, Canada’s provincial premiers were meeting about Mr Trump’s threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports.

“This is not the best time to have a (power) vacuum,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said. “I’d be looking at this wondering who the next leader is going to be” and whether the political upheaval in Ottawa will derail Canada’s approach to Trump.

In her resignation letter, Ms Freeland said the country faces a “grave challenge.”

Justin Trudeau with then Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland. Picture; Reuters.

More than 75 per cent of Canadian exports go to the United States and nearly two million Canadian jobs depend on trade.

Ms Freeland warned the standoff could lead to a “tariff war” with the United States and urged Ottawa to keep its “fiscal powder dry” while rebuking Mr Trudeau’s spendthrift policies.

She resigned just hours before she was to provide an update on the nation’s finances – a Can$62 billion (US$43.5 billion) deficit that blew past her earlier projections.

According to a Nanos Research poll released Tuesday, Mr Trudeau trails his main rival, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, by 20 points.

Mr Trump responded to the Canadian crisis by posting on his Truth Social platform, taking digs at Mr Trudeau and Ms Freeland.

“The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau,” he said.

“Her behaviour was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!”

See my letter to the Prime Minister below // Veuillez trouver ma lettre au Premier ministre ci-dessous pic.twitter.com/NMMMcXUh7A

— Chrystia Freeland (@cafreeland) December 16, 2024

Ms Jaczek told reporters after the Liberal caucus met that “firing the minister of finance who has served you extremely well is not what I’d call a trustworthy move.”

“I think he needs to go,” fellow Liberal MP Francis Drouin told Radio-Canada.

“For me, (Freeland’s resignation) was the straw that broke the camel’s back … It’s time to clean house.” Jagmeet Singh, leader of a small left wing faction in parliament that had kept the Liberals in office before breaking with Mr Trudeau in late August, has also joined the chorus.

“They’re fighting themselves instead of fighting for Canadians,” he told reporters. “For that reason, I’m calling on Justin Trudeau to resign. He has to go.”

Conservative leader Mr Poilievre has tried three times since September to topple the Liberal minority government and force snap elections, saying Mr Trudeau was weak.

He also demanded his resignation, telling a press conference: “We simply cannot go on like this. The government is spiralling out of control … at the very worst time.”

Mr Trudeau, who appeared so far to brush off the controversy, commented at a fundraiser Monday evening only that it had “not been an easy day.”

He has vowed to lead the Liberals into the next elections, which are scheduled for October 2025 but analysts say they could come much sooner.

“He has already taken many blows but this time, it is really difficult not to see it as a fatal blow,” University of Alberta professor Frederic Boily told AFP.

Mr Boily said, however, he would be “surprised if he resigned before Christmas because it would create even more chaos. ”

AFP