Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he doesn’t think his leadership is in danger, one day before a highly anticipated caucus meeting where his future at the helm of the Liberal party is expected to be up for discussion.
Asked directly on his way into Tuesday’s cabinet meeting whether he was worried about his fate, Trudeau offered a quick “no,” and kept walking.
Around an hour later, ministers started trickling into the room, telling reporters on their way in that they still have his back.
“I absolutely support the prime minister,” said Justice Minister Arif Virani.
“The entire cabinet, and myself for sure, are 100 per cent behind the prime minister, who’s led this country through difficult times in the past few years,” said Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge.
“I think it’s time for caucus and for us all to really think about Canadians,” St-Onge said. “It’s also a good time for us to get ready for the next election.”
Housing Minister Sean Fraser and several others also voiced support.
“I’m a member of his cabinet. Obviously, we support him. I think the work that we’re trying to do to help Canadians is really the main focus right now,” Fraser said.
Tuesday’s cabinet confab was the first time Trudeau’s ministers have convened since four members of the prime minister’s front bench announced they won’t be running again, setting the stage for an impending shuffle. It turned into an unusually long meeting.
Later, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters that she is “more confident” than ever, based on conversations she’s had over the past 36 hours, that “the vast majority of Liberal MPs support the prime minister” as the one to lead the party into the next election.
The united front also comes just ahead of Wednesday’s Liberal caucus meeting, where sources have told CTV News that a group of Liberal MPs who have been organizing in favour of a leadership change before the next election, plan to plead their case directly to Trudeau.
What to expect at Liberal caucus?
Trudeau has been facing calls from individuals affiliated with the party to step aside for months – with frustrations buoyed by a pair of byelection losses in Toronto and Montreal – but this latest push is the most direct pressure, as it’s coming from elected members of Parliament.
It’s been reported that as many as 30 Liberal backbenchers are involved in the effort to encourage Trudeau’s ouster, or at least a reconsideration of his future. Though, uncertainty remains about how many MPs are involved, and who they are.
On Monday, longtime Liberal MP Sean Casey became the first to publicly confirm he has signed a letter asking for Trudeau to resign, but he would not say how many of his colleagues have done the same.
Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said while he respects Casey, he doesn’t think his perspective is shared by the majority of Trudeau’s caucus.
“The Liberal party is a big tent. We have robust conversations, as we will in caucus,” Wilkinson said. “At this point in time, clearly in the public opinion polls, we are not leading. There is concern on the part of members of caucus, it’s important we have that conversation.”
Ministers tout ‘big tent’
Some ministers said their caucus colleagues should stay focused on serving Canadians and drawing contrast with their Conservative opponent, whom they’ve been trailing in the polls for more than a year.
“Any minute spent on this garbage is a minute that’s not spent on Pierre Poilievre and what he wants to do to this country,” Immigration Minister Marc Miller said.
Others said that the dissent within the ranks, and the coming debate over the party’s direction, is a sign of a healthy caucus where differing views can be expressed.
“He’s always had my back, I have his and completely support him,” Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth of Canada Marci Ien said, adding that she still thinks the Liberals can still “absolutely” win the next election with Trudeau at the helm.
“This is a large tent … and people are entitled to their opinions, but I just gave in mine, and mine is that I support him,” Ien said.
Health Minister Mark Holland said he doesn’t think it’s a bad thing for there to be differing views and believes Trudeau still has the backing of “most” of his colleagues.
“I think it’s a sign of a strong democratic caucus,” Holland said.
“I’m comfortable with difficult conversations, or else I wouldn’t be doing this nine years later. That’s just part of politics,” Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said.
While some MPs have said they haven’t yet seen the circulating letter asking the prime minister to step aside, many expressed the sentiment that what happens in caucus is intended to stay there, and they plan to hold their peace until they get behind closed doors.
“I have not seen the letter and I have not signed the letter, full stop,” Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages Randy Boissonnault said. “It’s a moment where caucus is going to express itself, the prime minister is going to listen, and we’re going to get through this as a team.”
Conservatives pressure PM over revolt
Today, a former Conservative leader who faced an internal caucus revolt at the tail end of his time at the top said it’s time for Trudeau to step down or call an election.
“The prime minister should move on,” Erin O’Toole said. “He can be proud of some of the things he’s done, but now I think he is a distraction for the national debate, for his own caucus, so it’s a tough decision.”
The Liberal caucus drama comes as work inside the House of Commons is still at a standstill over a procedural battle for unredacted documents.
Pressing the issue further in question period, Poilievre accused Trudeau of being unable to “administer the government because he’s too busy fighting for his job.”
All of this is keeping speculation alive that the prime minister could prorogue Parliament.
Nanos Research chief data scientist Nik Nanos told CTV News on Tuesday that it will take “a massive change” to turn Liberal fortunes around at this stage.
“Every government has a best before date, and I think it’s going to be difficult. The reality is, a Liberal house divided cannot win an election,” Nanos said.
With files from CTV News’ Spencer Van Dyk