Justin Trudeau resigns: PM says not ‘a snowball’s chance in hell’ Canada will join US

The leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party Jagmeet Singh has spoken out about the incumbent prime minister’s departure and the potential new Liberal leader, while taking a swipe at the Conservative Party.

Writing in a statement on Monday, Singh said: “Justin Trudeau has let you down, over and over. He let you down on the cost of housing and groceries. He let you down on fixing health care. It doesn’t matter who leads the Liberals. They don’t deserve another chance. Conservatives are jumping at the opportunity to take from you and give more to CEOs.

“You will pay the price of Poilievre’s cuts. If you oppose callous Conservative cuts; if you oppose the rich getting richer while everyone else falls further behind – stand with the NDP this time.”

Soon-to-be-ex Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would stay on in office until his Liberal Party can choose a new leader. Parliament will now be prorogued until March 2024.

The Liberals will need to elect a new leader before parliament resumes because the three opposition parties – the Conservative Party, New Democratic Party and Bloc Québécois – say they will bring down the government in a no-confidence vote at the first opportunity, which would trigger an election.

The new Liberal leader might not be prime minister for long and a spring election would very likely favor the opposing Conservative Party.

“Throughout the course of my career, any success I have personally achieved has been because of their support and with their encouragement,” Trudeau said.

At a press conference on Monday, Trudeau cited “internal battles” within the Liberal Party that meant he “cannot be the best option” in the next election.

Former deputy prime minister and minister of finance Chrystia Freeland threw Trudeau’s government into chaos when she abruptly resigned from the cabinet last month, just hours before she was due to deliver the country’s first economic update since the U.S. election.

Canada’s Prime Minister was forced to resign off the cuff after his notes blew away seconds before his planned resignation announcement on Monday.

“I’ll wing it,” Justin Trudeau said, as he watched his notes fly from the lectern standing outside his residence in Ottawa.

Trudeau announced he would be stepping down as prime minister, and leader of Canada’s Liberal Party, after nearly ten years in power.

A row had broken out inside Trudeau’s party after US President-elect Donald Trump announced a proposal to introduce 25 percent tariffs on Canada.

“Throughout the course of my career, any success I have personally achieved has been because of their support and with their encouragement,” Trudeau said.

Facing low approval ratings in part due to the cost of living crisis, signs were mounting that Canadians had lost faith in the Liberal Party, which Trudeau has led as prime minister since 2015.

But internal confidence plummeted in mid-December, when Chrystia Freeland, the deputy prime minister and head of finance, unexpectedly resigned citing disagreements over the handling of Trump’s proposed 25 percent tariffs on the country – an issue that could damage the economy.

“I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister after the party selects its next leader through a robust nationwide, competitive process,” Trudeau said on Monday.

Now, the Liberal Party will decide on its next leader by holding a contest to decide who will succeed Trudeau. Until they do so, Trudeau will remain prime minister.