By Nathalie Sturgeon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Saint Croix Courier
January 8, 2025
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation today as the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Canada’s 23rd Prime Minister. He said he would stay on as leader until a successor has been chosen.
Trudeau met with Governor General Mary Simon to prorogue parliament until March 24.
It does terminate the session but does not trigger an election.
“Parliament has been paralyzed for months after what has been the longest session of a minority Parliament in Canadian history,” he said speaking to reporters outside Rideau Hall on Monday. “Last night, over dinner, I told my kids about the decision I’m sharing with you today. I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister after the party selects its next leader through a robust, nationwide competitive process.”
He said he has asked the president of the Liberal party to begin the process of selecting a new leader.
“This country deserves a real choice in the next election,” he said. “And it has become clear to me that if I’m having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election.”
A growing number of Liberal members of parliament (MPs), including the Atlantic Canada, Quebec, and Ontario caucuses, have publicly called for Trudeau’s resignation.
Just hours before Chrystia Freeland was expected to deliver the fall economic statement, she resigned from Trudeau’s cabinet – outlining her reasons in a scathing letter.
Freeland said that on Dec. 13, Trudeau told her he no longer wanted her to serve as finance minister but offered her another position within the cabinet.
“Upon reflection, I have concluded that the only honest and viable path is for me to resign from cabinet,” she wrote in the letter.
Several other high-profile MPs have announced they would not seek re-election, including former Housing Minister Sean Fraser and former cabinet member Marco Mendicino.
Trudeau has been Liberal leader since 2013 and served as PM since October 2015. He was first elected in 2008 in the riding of Montréal riding of Papineau.
New Brunswick premier thanks Trudeau
Premier Susan Holt released a statement late Monday in response to Trudeau’s decision.
“On behalf of all New Brunswickers, I thank Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his years of public service and dedication to Canada. I wish the prime minister and his family all the best,” she said in the statement.
Holt said that the country and New Brunswick face a new threat in the form of U.S. tariffs.
“We must stand together as a country and remain focused on defending our workers and economy in the face of these threats.”
Reaction from other federal parties
New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh has reacted to the PM’s resignation, saying that “Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have let Canadians down.”
“They let you down on home prices. They let you down on health care. They let you down by allowing corporate greed to run wild,” he said in the statement released on the party’s website. “Even with the country facing another serious blow to Canadian jobs and our cost of living – this time from Donald Trump – they’re still focused only on themselves and their political fate.”
In a press conference held on Monday, he said: “They do not deserve another chance.”
Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Pollievre said in a video posted to X (formerly Twitter) that Canadians might feel relieved that Trudeau is leaving.
“But what has really changed,” he said in the video. “Every Liberal MP in power today and every potential Liberal leadership contender fighting for the top job helped Justin Trudeau break the country over the last nine years.”
During the video, he criticized some of the Liberal government’s policies including the carbon tax. Pollievre called for an election.
“The only way to fix what Liberals broke is a carbon tax election to elect common sense Conservatives who will bring home Canada’s promise,” he said on X.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, speaking to reporters in Ottawa, thanked Trudeau for his time in politics, but said he hopes the new leader will call an election once the house resumes in March.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump also reacted to the PM’s resignation, posting on Truth Social.
“Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st state,” it reads. “The United States can no longer suffer the massive trade deficits and subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this and resigned. If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great nation it would be.”
Green Party leader Elizabeth May has also released a statement on the PM’s resignation.
“This morning, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau finally admitted the inescapable conclusion that the had to step aside to make room for new leadership,” she said in a statement. “The fact that the announcement could surprise no one is to admit the obvious— over the last year but in particularly the last few weeks since December 16, the decline in his support has been painful to watch, like a slow-motion train wreck.”
She said to say that public service is a sacrifice is stating the obvious.
“For that, and especially at a time when basic civility has eroded to where he could be attacked verbally and rudely in front of his youngest on Christmas holiday, underscores how hard that public service has become,” she said in the statement.
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May thanked Trudeau for his service to Canada and wished his family much happiness and peace in the years ahead.