A rebellion by some Liberal MPs against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership prevented him from being removed from office, but one political analyst says tensions within the party will persist for some time – and further damage the Liberals’ electoral prospects. Could.
Trudeau made clear Thursday he would remain leader, as some Liberal MPs signed an internal document calling on the prime minister to step down, and those members expressed their frustrations to Trudeau in an hour-long caucus meeting on Wednesday. Expressed.
In an interview broadcast on Sunday West BlockLori Turnbull, a professor of political science at Dalhousie University, told host Mercedes Stephenson that Trudeau’s pledge to remain means nothing has changed before an internal Liberal rebellion began, with dissident caucuses seeking to force Trudeau’s resignation. Members have no capacity.
“Now I think everything gets uncomfortable for a while,” Turnbull said. “And we’ll see how long this can last until the next election.”
Rogue Liberal MPs give Trudeau a deadline – what’s next?
The Liberals have not adopted the powers made available to parties under the Reform Act, which include the option for at least 20 per cent of a party’s caucus to initiate a leadership review if a caucus votes to adopt the Act. , which they have a chance to do after the federal elections.
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The Conservative caucus did so, and became the first party to invoke federal legislation to vote to retain Erin O’Toole as leader in 2022, ousting her and later Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Was elected.
Turnbull said that if the Liberals had the same system in place they would be in a better place today.
“From Justin Trudeau’s perspective, (he could say,) ‘You know what? If you guys want to push me out, take the numbers and if you’ve got the numbers, I’m gone. And If not, shut up,” he said, ‘and it would be better for the caucus to actually have a mechanism to do that.
“Right now, it’s the worst of all worlds.”
The longer dissent continues within the Liberals, Turnbull said, the more difficult it will be for Trudeau and his party to make the case to Canadians why they deserve to be elected and win a fourth mandate.
“It’s a lose-lose situation for all of them,” he said.
Trudeau says Liberals ‘strong and united’ after caucus meeting
The Liberals have spent more than a year in a double-digit polling deficit against the Conservatives, who have benefited from growing public anger toward Trudeau and his slow approach to affordability concerns.
A September poll conducted by Ipsos for Global News found that Trudeau’s popularity was at a “new low” in his nine years as prime minister.
Turnbull said that while previous leadership challenges were less urgent, the current Liberal rebellion is based on MPs’ fears for their own political survival.
“I think the worst-case scenario for liberals is pretty bad,” he said.
“Some of these people are like, ‘If Justin Trudeau doesn’t step aside, I’ll lose my seat. I think a lot of people will lose theirs. Is there any way he can take one for the team and let someone else come in to see if we can salvage something?”
So far, no caucus member has publicly emerged as a potential successor.
Former BC Premier Christy Clark said last week that she wanted to be “part of the conversation” about the future of the federal Liberals if Trudeau steps aside.
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