Canadian PM Justin Trudeau resigns as Liberal leader, marking end of era
TORONTO - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation Monday.
Trudeau said he has asked the president of his Liberal Party to begin the process to select a new leader. He has faced rising discontent over his leadership, and the abrupt departure of his finance minister late last year signaled growing turmoil within his government.
Parliament will be suspended until March 24. It had been due to resume Jan. 27. The timing will allow for a Liberal Party leadership race.
Trudeau said Parliament has been "entirely seized" by what he called obstruction and a total lack of productivity. He said this has been the longest-serving minority government in Canadian history.
And in some of his final comments to the media, Trudeau shared his thoughts on opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. He said Poilievre has a "very small vision" for Canada, describing it as "stopping the fight against climate change," backing off on "strength in diversity" and "attacking journalists."
Justin Trudeau's rise to power
Trudeau came to power in 2015 after 10 years of Conservative Party rule, and had initially been hailed for returning the country to its liberal past.
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But the 53-year-old scion of one of Canada’s most famous prime ministers became deeply unpopular with voters in recent years over a range of issues, including the soaring cost of food and housing, and surging immigration.
Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, during the National Caucus holiday party in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. Trudeau's administration was thrown into crisis when his trusted deputy, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, publ
The political upheaval comes at a difficult moment for Canada internationally. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian goods if the government does not stem what Trump calls a flow of migrants and drugs in the U.S. — even though far fewer of each crosses into the U.S. from Canada than from Mexico, which Trump has also threatened.
Trudeau's years in office
Trudeau had been planning to run for a fourth term in next year’s election, even in the face of rising discontent among Liberal Party members. The party recently suffered upsets in special elections in two districts in Toronto and Montreal that it has held for years. No Canadian prime minister in more than a century has won four straight terms.
And based on the latest polls, Trudeau’s chances for success looked slim. In the latest poll by Nanos, the Liberals trail the Conservatives 47% to 21%.
Over nearly a decade in power, Trudeau embraced an array of causes favored by his liberal base. He spoke in favor of immigration at a time other countries were trying to tighten their borders. He championed diversity and gender equality, appointing a Cabinet that was equal parts men and women. He legalized cannabis.
His efforts to strike a balance between economic growth and environmental protection were criticized by both the right and left. He levied a tax on carbon emissions and rescued a stalled pipeline expansion project to get more of Alberta’s oil to international markets.
Fewer people died from COVID-19 in Canada than elsewhere and his government provided massive financial support. But animosity grew among those opposed to vaccine mandates. Flags with Trudeau’s name and expletives became a common sight in rural parts.