Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is back in Ottawa today, but with him yet to signal he’s ready to address the snowballing resignation calls, the Liberal caucus’ regional chairs have called a meeting today to discuss next steps.
Sources confirm to CTV News that the chairs for the party’s regional caucus are meeting virtually today at 3 p.m. EST.
During the call, the national caucus chair Brenda Shanahan is expected to be asked to consider calling a meeting of all Liberal MPs. Some want the prime minister to be presented with a more formal push for his resignation, or to at least put a timeline on deciding on whether he intends to stay on as party leader.
This meeting comes after calls for Trudeau to step down grew over the holidays from caucus members across the country. Liberals are also contemplating the party’s leadership rules and the kinds of preparations needed for a potentially expedited race.
Trudeau, after a week out west with his family, is not expected to be part of this meeting. However, he will be making his first brief public appearance of the new year, visiting the Embassy of the United States to sign the book of condolences for former president Jimmy Carter.
The prime minister is also attending a morning meeting of the Canada-U.S. cabinet committee.
The meeting of ministers who are tasked with managing relations with the incoming Donald Trump administration is expected to include some discussion of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly’s meeting at Mar-a-Lago last week.
At a press conference on Parliament Hill Friday morning, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May offered her suggestions for how Canada should be preparing for Trump, and said the country needs strong leadership to stand up for this country in the face of the next president’s “51st state” talk.
Asked if she thinks Trudeau can still be that leader, May said “sure,” but because “we are not a country that relies on a prime minister solely for leadership.”
“Obviously, Justin Trudeau’s position is tenuous. That doesn’t mean Canada’s position is tenuous,” she said.
As for whether she thinks it’s time for the prime minister to resign, May said that she was hesitant to weigh-in.
“I think the prime minister obviously has to consider his role as leader of the Liberal party. But I do think that’s an internal question for Liberals,” May said.
“I’m not in his shoes, and I think that the resignation of Chrystia Freeland and the circumstances under which she was dismissed from his cabinet right before the fall economic statement calls into question Justin Trudeau’s judgment.”
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
With files from CTV News’ Judy Trinh, Vassy Kapelos, and Stephanie Ha