This was supposed to be a big year in Canadian politics. A general election was already on the books for October 2025, and it was widely assumed that Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister for the past decade, was facing a serious referendum on his leadership not only in Canada, but on the world stage. The fact that Americans f–ked up our presidential election so badly hasn’t helped either – Trudeau wasn’t looking forward to dealing with Donald Trump, on top of everything else on his plate. And after ten years, there were significant cracks in Trudeau’s power base. Canadians are restless, and it’s likely that Trudeau was looking at a major defeat in this election. So Trudeau chose January 6th to announce that he would step down as prime minister and leader of Canada’s Liberal Party.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada announced on Monday that he would step down as Liberal Party leader and prime minister, a decision that will install new leadership in Canada by late March, after his party picks a new head.
“Every bone in my body has always told me to fight because I care deeply about Canadians,” Mr. Trudeau said as he announced his decision in Ottawa, the capital. His resignation sets off a succession battle to replace him after he spent roughly a decade at the helm of both the party and the country.
The upheaval comes as the country is grappling with how best to deal with President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pledge to impose crippling tariffs on all imports from Canada on his first day in office. Canada and the United States are each other’s biggest trading partners. Mr. Trudeau visited Mr. Trump at Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence in Florida, in late November, and his government had been in talks to address the president-elect’s concerns about border security in hopes that he would reconsider his tariff threat.
Mr. Trudeau has faced weeks of mounting pressure from inside his party’s ranks. In December, Mr. Trudeau’s deputy prime minister and finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, abruptly stepped down in a stinging rebuke of his leadership and stewardship of the country. Her resignation incited a growing chorus of voices from Liberal parliamentarians asking him to step aside for the sake of the party, and let someone else lead the Liberal Party against the Conservatives in the next general election, which must be held by October.
Mr. Trudeau shut down Parliament until March 24 to allow his party to pick a new leader. The action wipes out all pending legislation but does not affect the government’s day-to-day operations.
I feel like the people who were around for Trump’s first term can see which way the wind is blowing and they’re all having existential crises. Except for Macron. President Macron seems to revel in buttering up Trump and manipulating Trump. But everyone else is doing breathing exercises and day-drinking. Obviously, I’m sure Trudeau has many other political problems beyond Trump and Canadian-US relations. But choosing to announce his resignation on J6, two weeks before Trump’s inauguration, is a huge choice.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
