After Trudeau leadership concerns, can Liberals put ‘best foot forward’?

The suggestion of a secret ballot came after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was firm he would stay as leader even amid a growing number of MPs calling for him to step down.

Liberal cabinet and caucus members say they’re focused on putting the party’s “best foot forward” for the next federal election, a sentiment that comes amid continued pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership.

The calls for a secret ballot over recent days have come a week after 24 members of caucus signed on to a letter calling on the prime minister to step down, but saw Trudeau say he would lead his party into the next election.

Yvan Baker, one of the MPs calling for a secret ballot, said proposals have been made by himself and other MPs for Trudeau to allow it to go ahead.

“The ball’s now in the prime minister’s court,” he told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday. “I think the question should be asked to the prime minister if he supports a secret ballot.”

He said MPs who made such proposals, like himself, have not yet heard back from Trudeau, but added he wouldn’t speculate what would happen if a response wasn’t given.

Prior to the meeting, Health Minister Mark Holland said a secret ballot is against how they choose their leader.

“We have a constitution that determines the leadership process in our party and he absolutely has the support of caucus,” Holland told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday. “I think party members would not only be confused but angry if we circumvented the convention.”

Parties have the opportunity to decide if they’ll utilize Reform Act measures, allowing MPs to force a leadership review, after each election. But the Liberals did not do so after the 2021 vote, and as a result, the Liberal caucus has no other mechanism to depose Trudeau even if a majority of MPs want him to go