Reaction to Trudeau’s Resignation Announcement from Opponents, Allies, and Potential Successors

With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing his intention to resign once the Liberal Party has chosen a new leader, other party leaders, premiers, MPs, and Trudeau’s potential successors reacted to the news.

The Conservatives, who are surging in the polls and want an immediate election, repeated their point that all Liberal MPs are responsible for the Liberal government’s track record.

Poilievre said Liberal MPs had only stopped supporting Trudeau because he was “no longer popular enough to win an election and keep them in power,” and they would now be “fighting each other for power” while Canada faces several crises.

Numerous Liberal MPs have been calling for Trudeau to step down in recent weeks as the party struggled with ongoing poor polling numbers and several byelection losses.

Trudeau announced on Jan. 6 that he had asked Gov. Gen. Mary Simon to prorogue Parliament until March 24, which she accepted. Parliament is suspended, which prevents opposition parties from voting non-confidence in the government and delays an election for the time being.

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“It doesn’t matter who leads the Liberals. They don’t deserve another chance,” he said, while also accusing Conservatives of intending to cut government programs that support Canadians.

“New Democrats will be voting against this government for an election where Canadians will have a choice,” he said.

Bloc Québécois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet suggested his party would still vote non-confidence in the Liberal government, telling reporters during a press conference on Jan. 6 that the Liberal Party had been “transformed” by Trudeau’s leadership, and therefore there was “no possible way for this party to become something else in a few weeks.”

Premiers, Potential Leadership Successors

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said with incoming U.S. President Donald Trump threatening 25 percent tariffs, the country needs a government with a “clear mandate.” She said on social media that the Liberal Party “has no such mandate from Canadians” and accused the Liberals of “putting their selfish political interests ahead of the Canadian people” by proroguing Parliament for a leadership contest.

“It is one of the most irresponsible and selfish acts of a government in Canadian history. We call on all federal parties and MPs to force an election at the first available opportunity,” Smith said.

“We worked on many important issues including partnering to lower the cost of childcare for families,” he wrote on social media. “Today, we must come together to protect Canadian workers and businesses against US tariff threats.”