On Monday morning the inevitable happened as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would be stepping down as Liberal Party leader.
Trudeau has led the party since 2013 and has been Prime Minister since 2015 when he won a majority government.
On Monday, January 6 he read the writing on the wall.
"This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it's become clear to me that if I'm having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election," he said.
MP for Battle River Crowfoot Damien Kurek reacted swiftly to the announcement.
“Today, we see a coward and liar announce to the nation that he is terrified to face the people he is supposed to lead. Trudeau’s staying or going doesn't matter; the entire Liberal Party are putting themselves and their own interests before their country,” said Kurek.
Since taking power there has been a steady decline in his popularity and in 2019, he returned as Prime Minster, however with a minority government. In 2021 he called a snap election and, though he captured a few more seats, the party remained in a minority position.
Throughout this time he was plagued with a number of controversies, including Ethics Commissioner investigations into his family vacations with the Aga Khan, and his handling of the SNC-Lavalin Affair. Support for Carbon tax policies also eroded his popularity, and in most recent polls the Liberals are only pulling about 20 per cent support.
Beginning in March 2022, the Liberals entered an agreement with NDP to help prop the Liberal Party up until 2025. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh pulled the support and ended the Confidence and Supply Agreement in September.
While Trudeau survived three more confidence motions since, it appears the resignation of Finance Minster Chrystia Freeland was the final nail in the coffin of his career.
With his announcement, he also asked Governor General Mary Simon to prorogue Parliament until March 24.
Kurek is unhappy with the delay.
“Not only did he announce his resignation, but Trudeau also announced that he is shutting down Parliament and committees for two months. He blames parliamentary dysfunction as the reason for prorogation but failed to mention that it is Liberal scandals causing the dysfunction, specifically the Liberal Government’s refusal to hand over unredacted documents to the RCMP related to the $400 million Green Slush Fund scandal,” he said.
“We have seen this pattern since 2015, and Canadians have suffered the consequences. From attacks on energy, agriculture, and fundamental rights, Canadians are hurting after more than nine years of Liberal mismanagement.”
He indicates the Conservative Party of Canada is prepared for the next steps.
“Regardless of who the leader of the Liberal Party is today or in the future, Canadians deserve better, and they deserve a choice. Common Sense Conservatives led by Pierre Poilievre are ready to restore the promise of Canada,” said Kurek.
