Trudeau to reshuffle cabinet today amid calls for his resignation
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will reshuffle his Cabinet on Friday, his office announced amid increasing calls for his resignation and growing discontent over his leadership. The crisis in Trudeau's administration worsened on Monday after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned. In her resignation letter posted on social media, Freeland slammed Trudeau's economic policies, especially those concerning possible tariff threats from United States President-elect Donald Trump.
Freeland's resignation leaves Trudeau's government vulnerable
Freeland's exit has created a vacuum in Trudeau's government, which depends on the New Democratic Party (NDP) for support to push through legislation since Trudeau's Liberals don't hold an outright majority. But NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has also added his voice to the calls for Trudeau's resignation. Singh, however, has refrained from promising an immediate no-confidence vote. The matter is further complicated as Parliament is adjourned for the holidays, with a possible no-confidence vote looming when it reconvenes next month.
Trudeau's popularity dips, new finance minister shows support
A growing number of Liberal lawmakers have called for Trudeau's resignation, but new Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc said that Trudeau has the "full support of his Cabinet." LeBlanc also confirmed that Mark Carney, the former head of the Bank of England and Bank of Canada, won't be joining the Cabinet despite efforts to woo him. He stated that the government will remain focused on work and addressing Trump's threat to put a 25% tariff on all Canadian products.
Canada braces for economic challenges amid political turmoil
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne emphasized on getting ready for Trump's presidency amid this political turmoil. "It appears Trudeau will be stepping down, but no one knows exactly when," Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus at University of Toronto said. He added that filling vacant posts and relieving some ministers of multiple portfolios is pushing the shuffle, but it won't help the Liberal Party's polling numbers as "it's too late in the day for that to happen."
Trudeau has led the country for nearly a decade
Trudeau has led the country for nearly a decade, but he has been increasingly unpopular in recent years due to a variety of challenges, including high living costs and growing inflation rates. According to AP, there is no mechanism for Trudeau's party to force him out in the immediate future. He could resign, or his party could be driven out of power by a "no confidence" vote in Parliament, triggering an election that would most likely benefit the Conservative Party.
