Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking some time to reflect after Chrystia Freeland91裸聊视频檚 bombshell resignation as finance minister, Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said Tuesday.
That comes as the number of Liberals who are calling for Trudeau to step aside appears to have grown.
91裸聊视频淭he prime minister, as I understand it, a number of caucus colleagues have said that the prime minister has said that he will reflect on both the decision that minister Freeland made, but also what he91裸聊视频檚 heard from members of his own caucus,91裸聊视频� Jonathan Wilkinson said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
91裸聊视频淚 think we all need to give him a little time to reflect, and I respect that fact that he91裸聊视频檚 going to take some time to reflect.91裸聊视频�
The House of Commons is now on its holiday break, giving Trudeau a few weeks to decide on his next move before MPs return to Ottawa on Jan. 27.
Freeland91裸聊视频檚 decision to walk away from the top cabinet job came three days after Trudeau had informed her she would be moved out of the finance portfolio in the next cabinet shuffle. The news came out just hours before she was set to present the government91裸聊视频檚 fall economic statement in the House of Commons.
That kicked off a day of turmoil on Parliament Hill that began with an unexpected cabinet meeting, followed by hours of confusion about which minister might table the important financial update, or if it would be introduced at all.
Several Liberal MPs demanded an emergency caucus meeting, and during that evening gathering, some of them called for Trudeau to step aside as party leader.
New Brunswick MP Wayne Long, one of 23 caucus members who signed a letter back in October calling for Trudeau to quit, remains adamant that it91裸聊视频檚 time for Trudeau to go. He said this time 91裸聊视频渋s so different than times before.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淲e certainly have more MPs than last time. So, if I had to guess how many more right now, I91裸聊视频檇 say we91裸聊视频檙e probably at 40 to 50 right now,91裸聊视频� Long said.
The attempt to oust Trudeau earlier in the fall ultimately failed to garner support from anyone in cabinet. This time, Long said, at least five cabinet ministers believe it91裸聊视频檚 time for a change at the top 91裸聊视频� though he did not identify them.
91裸聊视频淚 certainly am one to say to my colleagues, to ministers in particular: 91裸聊视频楲et91裸聊视频檚 come out of the shadows,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� Long said. 91裸聊视频淟et91裸聊视频檚 openly, once and for all, state how we feel and let91裸聊视频檚 move forward with what we know has to happen.91裸聊视频�
Several former cabinet ministers have called for Trudeau to go, including former environment minister Catherine McKenna on Tuesday.
91裸聊视频淓very Liberal MP should be calling on the prime minister to resign,91裸聊视频� she said in a post on social media. 91裸聊视频淭he surest way to elect a Conservative majority and lose all the progress we91裸聊视频檝e made is for him to stay. And we need to focus on tariff threat from the U.S. It91裸聊视频檚 over.91裸聊视频�
But most current cabinet ministers, when asked, have backed the prime minister publicly.
Before question period on Tuesday Treasury Board President Anita Anand and Diversity Minister Kamal Khera, replied 91裸聊视频測es91裸聊视频� when asked if they support the prime minister. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said the same.
Prince Edward Island MP Sean Casey isn91裸聊视频檛 convinced this attempt to push Trudeau out will work any differently than when he and 22 colleagues asked the prime minister to resign in October.
At the time, Liberal MPs told reporters that Trudeau pledged to reflect on what was said. The very next day, he publicly stated his intention to stay on as leader.
Casey does not think the prime minister will take a walk in the snow now, either.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 not a single indicator in anything that he says or does that would tell me otherwise. He seems to be absolutely committed and he has throughout the piece, he91裸聊视频檚 been remarkably consistent,91裸聊视频� Casey said.
Whenever Trudeau has been asked if he intends to lead the Liberals in the next election the response has been an unambiguous 91裸聊视频測es.91裸聊视频�
Trudeau typically holds a cabinet retreat before the return of Parliament and a long-anticipated cabinet shuffle is likely to come soon.
He replaced Freeland immediately with longtime friend and ally Dominic LeBlanc, who officially is now the minister of public safety, finance and intergovernmental affairs. Anand also holds two portfolios, juggling Treasury Board with transport, which she took on after Pablo Rodriguez stepped aside to prepare a run for the Liberal leadership in Quebec.
There are also at least five sitting ministers who do not plan to run in the next election, including Housing Minister Sean Fraser, whose announcement on Monday about his future was completely overshadowed by Freeland91裸聊视频檚 bombshell.
It has been a tumultuous fall for the government. The Liberals survived three non-confidence votes in the House of Commons and have struggled to advance legislation because of a filibuster on a Conservative privilege motion related to misspending at a now-defunct green technology fund.
On Tuesday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre once again called on NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to topple the government.
Poilievre said Canada needs an election because U.S. president-elect Donald Trump 91裸聊视频渃an spot weakness from a mile away91裸聊视频� and the Trudeau government is weak.
Bloc Qu茅b茅cois Leader Yves-Fran莽ois Blanchet also said a new Parliament is needed 91裸聊视频渁s soon as possible,91裸聊视频� and he wants to see an election called in January.
Blanchet said Trudeau has lost the political, moral and ethical authority to govern.
On Monday, Singh called for Trudeau to step down but did not make a firm comment on whether the NDP would vote non-confidence in the Liberal government, saying only that 91裸聊视频渁ll options are on the table.91裸聊视频�
The NDP, which ended a formal supply-and-confidence agreement to support the Liberals in September, has since voted with the government on all three non-confidence motions, trying to spin it as voting against the Conservatives rather than with the Liberals.
Singh has repeatedly said a Poilievre-led Conservative government would cut things New Democrats have fought for like dental care, pharmacare and other social programs.
