Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has rebuffed the idea of stepping down amid slumping poll numbers and the rise of the country’s opposition Conservatives.
During a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, when asked whether he would resign as his party’s leader, Trudeau told reporters he had more work to do.
“The next elections are two years away. I’m continuing to do my job. There’s a lot of important work to do, to deliver for Canadians in these difficult moments. I remain enthusiastic and relentless with regards to this work,” he said, speaking in French.
Trudeau led the Liberal Party to victory in 2015’s federal elections, ending nearly a decade of Conservative-led governments. But he has since seen his support slip amid growing frustrations over high inflation, soaring housing costs and other issues.
An Abacus Data poll from late August found that 56 percent of Canadians believed Trudeau should step down and let someone else lead the party, compared with 27 percent who said he should run again.
The Angus Reid Institute, another Canadian research firm, put Trudeau’s disapproval rating this month at 63 percent.
Trudeau announced a major cabinet shuffle in July amid drooping support [File: Blair Gable/Reuters]
The findings come as the right-wing Conservative Party of Canada has seen a jump in support under its new leader Pierre Poilievre, a populist career politician who took over the helm of the party in September of last year.
Abacus Data said last week that a recent national survey showed public perceptions of Poilievre were improving, while the Conservatives had 40 percent support among voters compared with 26 percent for the Liberals.
That is the Conservative Party’s largest lead over the Liberals since the 2015 election, the firm said. “The primary driver, in our view, is the negative impression people have of the Liberal government and Prime Minister Trudeau,” it added.
The drop in support for Trudeau has been a focus of Canadian media reports ahead of a Liberal Party caucus retreat this week.
Several Liberal parliament members told the public broadcaster CBC News — on condition of anonymity — that “they don’t feel the prime minister listens to their views or solicits their advice”.
Others have called on the government to better communicate its policies amid relentless attacks from Poilievre, who has blamed Trudeau for the country’s ills.
“Did any prime minister ever inherit a richer legacy? Did any prime minister ever squander it so thoroughly?” Poilievre said during a speech at a Conservative Party convention last weekend, referring to Trudeau’s takeover from his predecessor, Conservative Stephen Harper.
“After eight years, Justin Trudeau is not worth the cost and he is not worth the country that we know and love,” he said to raucous applause.
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre frequently hits out at Trudeau and the Liberals [Blair Gable/Reuters]
Immigration Minister Marc Miller told the CBC this week that Liberals are unsure how to respond to Poilievre.
“There’s a tension as to how to engage … whether you fight fire with fire and bring yourself down to a level of politics that you yourself have sworn to your electors you would never engage,” Miller said.
“There is a struggle and attention generally as to how to deal with a person like that, that Canadian politics, in particular, hasn’t seen much of.”
On Wednesday, Trudeau sought to focus on the issues before he joined the Liberal retreat in London, Ontario, calling on Canadian cities to do more to address a housing crisis and pledging federal government support.
“We have two good days of conversations [ahead] with the deputies, in which we’ll have very frank conversations,” the prime minister told reporters in French when pressed again on when a party leader should step down.
“But I can tell you that the team is ready to confront all the challenges we face as a country,” said Trudeau, pointing to rising costs of living and housing. “There’s work to do, and we’re staying focused on that.”
The next Canadian federal election is scheduled for October 2025, but Trudeau could trigger a snap vote before then.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
