Close X
Saturday, November 16, 2024
ADVT 
National

Liberals look to move past leadership drama with eye on next campaign

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 30 Oct, 2024 04:03 PM
  • Liberals look to move past leadership drama with eye on next campaign

The Liberal caucus turned its attention to the party's plan for the next election on Wednesday, after an unsuccessful attempt by some MPs to oust Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week.

Longtime Liberal operative Andrew Bevan was named the new national campaign director two weeks ago and made his first presentation to the full caucus during the weekly meeting.

The next election must be held by Oct. 20, 2025, but it could come much sooner. The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois have pledged to try to bring down the minority government this fall.

The presentation was initially scheduled to happen last Wednesday, but that nearly three-hour meeting was instead dominated by discussions of Trudeau's leadership.

Toronto-area MP Nate Erskine-Smith said the party's leadership was not the focus of caucus this week, and the priority was hearing from Bevan. 

"It was very much focused on: these are the next steps from a party perspective, and people were able to weigh in with their own feedback as far as it goes," Erskine-Smith said following the meeting.

"That question from last week to what's the finality, that wasn't part of it."

MPs were not able to share specific details of what was discussed in the meeting due to caucus confidentiality. 

At last week's meeting, a group of around two dozen MPs presented a letter to Trudeau calling on him to step aside. The dissenters gave him until Monday to make a decision — but he made it clear he plans to lead the party in the next election.

Several MPs have since said they want to hold a secret ballot vote to decide on whether Trudeau should stay on as leader. However, the Liberal party chose after the last election not to use Reform Act rules that would have allowed a caucus to hold secret vote to oust the leader.

British Columbia MP Patrick Weiler said he thinks the leadership concerns are not over. 

"I think we had a very good meeting last week, and I think there are a lot of unresolved questions from that, that still need to be addressed," Weiler said while heading to question period on Wednesday.

"I think there are a lot of people that are still looking for some answers to those things and until that's addressed, that's going to be lingering."

But several other MPs and cabinet ministers said they feel the matter is resolved and it's time to move on to planning for the next campaign.

Judy Sgro, a veteran Ontario MP of nearly 25 years, said even though the Liberals are trailing the Conservatives in the polls, she believes they can pull off a victory. 

"I've been through five leaders, this is my fifth leader. Most of the time they're unpopular, but we still manage to win," she said. 

Erskine-Smith said the "overwhelming focus" for now is on what comes next, but he could see leadership troubles come up again depending on the results of two upcoming votes. 

Byelections are pending in former Liberal ridings on both coasts: a vote must happen in Cloverdale—Langley City by Jan. 13 and in Halifax by April 14. 

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Home builders group pushing for 30-year mortgages to boost construction in Canada

Home builders group pushing for 30-year mortgages to boost construction in Canada
The group that represents residential builders in Canada wants Ottawa to offer a 30-year amortization period for insured mortgages on new homes. The Canadian Home Builders' Association says extending the period an additional five years would help with affordability and spur more construction. 

Home builders group pushing for 30-year mortgages to boost construction in Canada

Joly urges more funding to hire Canadian diplomats, amid Liberal cutbacks on spending

Joly urges more funding to hire Canadian diplomats, amid Liberal cutbacks on spending
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is asking MPs to support more funding for Global Affairs Canada, despite the Liberals undertaking cutbacks across the government. Joly says that the United States, France and rapidly developing countries are staffing up to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex world.   

Joly urges more funding to hire Canadian diplomats, amid Liberal cutbacks on spending

Global Affairs Canada 'aware of reports' of missing Canadian in Gaza Strip

Global Affairs Canada 'aware of reports' of missing Canadian in Gaza Strip
Ottawa says it is aware of reports that another Canadian citizen has gone missing in the Gaza Strip. Global Affairs Canada says it is providing consular assistance to the family but can't share more because of privacy considerations.   

Global Affairs Canada 'aware of reports' of missing Canadian in Gaza Strip

Tobacco firm 'disappointed' in B.C. restriction on flavoured nicotine pouch sales

Tobacco firm 'disappointed' in B.C. restriction on flavoured nicotine pouch sales
A major Canadian tobacco company says it is "extremely disappointed" by British Columbia's decision to move the sale of flavoured nicotine pouches behind pharmacy counters. Premier David Eby announced the restriction on Wednesday, saying the province issued the order to prevent children coming into contact with a "hazardous" and "addictive" product while Health Canada looks into the regulation of sales.

Tobacco firm 'disappointed' in B.C. restriction on flavoured nicotine pouch sales

Bell media is slashing 4800 jobs across the country

Bell media is slashing 4800 jobs across the country
A Bell executive is linking the major cuts parent company B-C-E announced this morning to federal government policies. Robert Malcolmson says the company needs immediate relief, which could come from a fund it has proposed that would see streamers subsidize local or national news.

Bell media is slashing 4800 jobs across the country

When the sun goes down, a swarm of rats emerges in downtown Vancouver

When the sun goes down, a swarm of rats emerges in downtown Vancouver
When the sun goes down, the rats of Vancouver's Burrard Skytrain Station emerge, in a scurrying blur of fur and whipping tails. Dozens of them, large and small, scamper around a park in front of the downtown station, running up and down the stairs among the legs of commuters and a wary reporter. Some appear to be feasting on birdseed scattered on the ground.

When the sun goes down, a swarm of rats emerges in downtown Vancouver