Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Canadian Conservative Party, denounced Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation announcement as a political maneuver designed to maintain Liberal Party power and continuity of policy. Poilievre, in a social media post and accompanying video, dismissed the resignation as a “trick” aimed at deceiving Canadian voters. He argued that all Liberal MPs and leadership contenders fully supported Trudeau’s nine years in office and now seek to replace him with a new face while continuing his policies.
Poilievre insisted that only a snap election, held immediately rather than in October as scheduled, could address the issues he attributed to the Liberals. He specifically called for a “carbon tax election,” framing it as a referendum on the Liberal government’s environmental policies. He claimed that Trudeau’s policies have led to job losses, inflation, and a surge in housing prices. He further asserted that the Liberal Party’s motivation for Trudeau’s departure wasn’t guilt over their policies, but rather a calculated move to preserve their power and positions before an anticipated electoral defeat.
Trudeau’s announcement, made amidst months of political turmoil culminating in the December resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, cited internal party infighting as the reason for his departure. He intends to resign as both Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader after a new leader is selected. He attributed his decision not to the general public’s waning support for the Liberals, but to the internal challenges hindering his ability to effectively lead the party into the next election.
Trudeau’s request to prorogue Parliament until March 24th will allow him to remain in power until then. However, growing public support for an early election, fueled by recent polls indicating a significant decline in Liberal popularity, increases pressure for a change in government before the scheduled October election. Polls consistently show strong Conservative support, suggesting a potential Liberal defeat in an early election. A January 27th motion of no confidence, planned by the New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh, further adds to the political pressure. This motion, while previously thwarted by the NDP’s strategic alliance with the Liberals, now presents a serious threat to the Liberal government’s survival.