Close X
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

One Liberal MP says he's signed letter asking Trudeau to resign, others remain mum

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 21 Oct, 2024 02:41 PM
  • One Liberal MP says he's signed letter asking Trudeau to resign, others remain mum

Liberal MP Sean Casey is the first to publicly confirm that he has signed a letter calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign, arguing it would be in the best interests of the country to let someone else take the reins. 

As an internal revolt brews, few Liberal MPs who are not in the cabinet are publicly defending the prime minister. The upcoming caucus meeting on Wednesday appears to present the most serious challenge to Trudeau's leadership to date.

Casey, an MP from Charlottetown, told reporters on Monday that he has signed the letter asking the prime minister to resign, but would not say how many of his colleagues had also signed. He first came out to say he no longer supported the prime minister last week.

Casey argued that Canadians are no longer listening to Trudeau, making him a distraction from the government's work.

"Voting is an emotional exercise. It's not based on logic or reason. If it was based on logic and rational thinking, we'd be 20 points up, not down. But there's been baggage accumulated. People have tuned him out," Casey told reporters. 

Several media reports have detailed that a group of Liberal MPs plan to confront Trudeau at the Wednesday caucus meeting over sagging poll numbers and gloomy electoral prospects.

The precise strategy and breadth of the attempt to push Trudeau to resign remain unclear, though some MPs who spoke to The Canadian Press on background said a significant number of party members are involved.

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault told reporters on Monday that while he understands people may want change after seeing the prime minister in power for nine years, he continues to back Trudeau.

"I've not seen that letter, and I haven't spoken to any of my colleagues who allegedly would have signed that letter. What I would tell them if I was to sit down and talk with them is that the prime minister has my support," he said. 

Other Liberal backbenchers would only say they're saving that conversation for Wednesday. 

"We need to have this (conversation) in caucus," Sameer Zuberi said. 

The Liberal party has no mechanism to force a leader out, leaving the decision to resign — or not — entirely up to Trudeau.

The attempts to oust the prime minister come at a particularly precarious time for his minority government, as the Liberals try to maintain a grip on an increasingly fractious Parliament. 

The debate on a Conservative demand for documents about federal spending on green technology projects dragged into its 11th day, and the matter of privilege has all but paralyzed House business for weeks.

The only other work that advanced on Monday was prompted by NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Liberal MP George Chahal, who wrote letters to House Speaker Greg Fergus asking for an emergency debate into allegations of foreign interference by India. 

Fergus approved the request for an emergency debate on Monday evening. 

Last week, the RCMP revealed allegations that agents of the Indian government were linked to cases of murder, extortion and coercion in Canada.

Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and India in turn sent six Canadian envoys home as a result of the allegations.

In the letter, Singh said "the severity of the situation and the danger it poses to all Canadians" warrants an emergency debate so parliamentarians can discuss potential actions to protect people. 

Singh also put forward a motion Monday to form a House of Commons committee on Canada-India relations to look into interference. He did not get the required support from all members of Parliament. 

Singh accused the Liberals of bringing down his motion, saying MP Kevin Lamoureux appeared to be the one who voted against it.

MORE National ARTICLES

Provinces knew the deal when they signed on to $10-a-day child care: Liberal minister

Provinces knew the deal when they signed on to $10-a-day child care: Liberal minister
Provinces and territories had their "eyes wide open" when they signed on to the federal $10-a-day child-care program, says Families Minister Jenna Sudds. Her assertion that they must now make it work comes amid growing pushback from daycares that say the program is going to make them go bankrupt. 

Provinces knew the deal when they signed on to $10-a-day child care: Liberal minister

RCMP make arrest in 17 year old case

RCMP make arrest in 17 year old case
Police said Monday advances in DNA technology and an extensive investigation helped in the arrest of a Vancouver man in the killing of a Manitoba woman nearly 17 years ago. Kevin Queau, a 42-year-old from Vancouver, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Crystal Shannon Saunders, whose body was found in 2007.

RCMP make arrest in 17 year old case

Eby invokes Taylor Swift as B.C. launches services to crack down on intimate images

Eby invokes Taylor Swift as B.C. launches services to crack down on intimate images
British Columbia Premier David Eby says the recent sharing of fake intimate images of pop star Taylor Swift proves no one is immune from such "attacks," as the province launches new services to get images taken down and go after perpetrators for damages. The launch of the services on Monday in conjunction with the Civil Resolution Tribunal comes on the same day the province's Intimate Images Protection Act comes into force.

Eby invokes Taylor Swift as B.C. launches services to crack down on intimate images

Muslim council cancels meeting with Trudeau over Liberal stance on hate crimes, Gaza

Muslim council cancels meeting with Trudeau over Liberal stance on hate crimes, Gaza
The National Council of Canadian Muslims has cancelled a scheduled meeting today with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, saying there's no point in speaking with him. Chief executive Stephen Brown says that's because of Trudeau's response to the situation in the Gaza Strip and his government's failure to deliver legislation and funding to prevent hate crimes.

Muslim council cancels meeting with Trudeau over Liberal stance on hate crimes, Gaza

Pedestrian hit in Surrey

Pedestrian hit in Surrey
Police in Surrey say they're investigating after a pedestrian was hit on a city street. RCMP say officers responded to a call around six this morning near Scott Road and Nordel Way.

Pedestrian hit in Surrey

Two Canadians charged in U.S. plot to kill Iranian defector

Two Canadians charged in U.S. plot to kill Iranian defector
The U.S. Department of Justice has charged two Canadians and an Iranian in a murder-for-hire plot targeting two people in Maryland. An indictment unsealed today says Naji Sharifi Zindashti, Damion Patrick John Ryan and Adam Richard Pearson conspired to kill the two unnamed people, one of whom was an Iranian defector.

Two Canadians charged in U.S. plot to kill Iranian defector