Trudeau to attend Cabinet committee meeting on US relations amidst resignation demands
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is participating in a virtual meeting of the Canada-U.S. relations cabinet committee, amidst calls for him to step down as leader from both within and outside the Liberal caucus.
This meeting comes as president-elect Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration draws near.
Trump has threatened to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports unless both countries meet his demand to enhance security at the American border.
Additionally, Trump has been taunting Trudeau on social media, suggesting that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state and referring to Trudeau as its governor, claiming that the U.S. subsidizes Canada through their trade partnership.
Trudeau visited Florida on Nov. 30 to meet with Trump, and some of his key cabinet ministers met with the Trump team last Friday.
In Ottawa, pressure continues to mount on Trudeau to resign as Liberal leader following Chrystia Freeland’s resignation as finance minister last month.
Prior to the holiday break, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson stated to The Canadian Press that Trudeau was taking some time to ponder his future.