OTTAWA – Liberal MP Sean Casey is the first to publicly confirm that he has signed a letter calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign, arguing it would be in the best interests of the country to let someone else take the reins.
As an internal revolt brews, few Liberal MPs who are not in the cabinet are publicly defending the prime minister. The upcoming caucus meeting on Wednesday appears to present the most serious challenge to Trudeau’s leadership to date.
Casey, an MP from Charlottetown, told reporters on Monday that he has signed the letter asking the prime minister to resign, but would not say how many of his colleagues had also signed. He first came out to say he no longer supported the prime minister last week.
Casey argued that Canadians are no longer listening to Trudeau, making him a distraction from the government’s work.
“Voting is an emotional exercise. It’s not based on logic or reason. If it was based on logic and rational thinking, we’d be 20 points up, not down. But there’s been baggage accumulated. People have tuned him out,” Casey told reporters.
Several media reports have detailed that a group of Liberal MPs plan to confront Trudeau at the Wednesday caucus meeting over sagging poll numbers and gloomy electoral prospects.
The precise strategy and breadth of the attempt to push Trudeau to resign remain unclear, though some MPs who spoke to The Canadian Press on background said a significant number of party members are involved.
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault told reporters on Monday that while he understands people may want change after seeing the prime minister in power for nine years, he continues to back Trudeau.
“I’ve not seen that letter, and I haven’t spoken to any of my colleagues who allegedly would have signed that letter. What I would tell them, if I was to sit down and talk with them, is that the prime minister has my support,” he said.
Other Liberal backbenchers would only say they’re saving that conversation for Wednesday.
“We need to have this (conversation) in caucus,” Sameer Zuberi said.
The Liberal party has no mechanism to force a leader out, leaving the decision to resign — or not — entirely up to Trudeau.
The attempts to oust the prime minister come at a particularly precarious time for his minority government, as the Liberals try to maintain a grip on an increasingly fractious Parliament.
The debate on a Conservative demand for documents about federal spending on green technology projects dragged into its 11th day, and the matter of privilege has all but paralyzed House business for weeks.
The only other work that advanced on Monday was prompted by NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Liberal MP George Chahal, who wrote letters to House Speaker Greg Fergus asking for an emergency debate into allegations of foreign interference by India.
Fergus approved the request for an emergency debate, set to happen on Monday evening.
Last week, the RCMP revealed allegations that agents of the Indian government were linked to cases of murder, extortion and coercion in Canada.
Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and India in turn sent six Canadian envoys home as a result of the allegations.
In the letter, Singh said “the severity of the situation and the danger it poses to all Canadians” warrants an emergency debate so parliamentarians can discuss potential actions to protect people.
Singh also put forward a motion Monday to form a House of Commons committee on Canada-India relations to look into interference. He did not get the required support from all members of Parliament.
Singh accused the Liberals of bringing down his motion. Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux confirmed he voted against creating the committee, but said he does think the idea has merit.
Lamoureux said he feels more information is needed about how it would fit with the ongoing public inquiry into foreign interference, and the work of the existing National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians.
“I’m saying no today, but very much open to the idea,” he said. “The House leadership teams should discuss.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
— With files from Mia Rabson.
