NORTH NEWS
CHANDIGARH, OCTOBER 24
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been given an ultimatum by discontented members of his Liberal Party to decide by next week whether he will remain as leader, or face a potential caucus revolt.
During a closed-door caucus meeting on Wednesday, 20 Liberal MPs, none of whom are cabinet members, urged Trudeau to step down ahead of what they fear could be a significant defeat in the next federal election, the UK-based news outlet The Guardian reported. The two dozen MPs signed a letter requesting that Trudeau announce his decision by October 28, though the letter did not specify the consequences if he refused to resign. The Liberal caucus consists of 153 members.
Trudeau, now in his ninth year as the Prime Minister, has seen his popularity plummet, with mounting calls within his party for him to step down to avoid a humiliating electoral loss that could see the Liberals relegated to third place. The CBC Poll Tracker shows the opposition Conservatives holding a nearly 20-point lead over the governing Liberals, according to the UK based news outlet.
The unease within the party intensified after two by-election defeats this summer. The Liberals lost LaSalle–Émard–Verdun, a riding they had controlled for more than five decades, as well as a previously secure seat in downtown Toronto. These losses are being attributed to growing dissatisfaction with Trudeau’s government, as Canadians face rising costs of living, a worsening housing crisis, and perceived policy failures, including in the area of immigration.
