Over 20 Canadian Liberal lawmakers urge Trudeau to step down before next election
The Hindu
Liberal members of Parliament question Trudeau's leadership, raising doubts about his future as Prime Minister.
Some lawmakers in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's own Liberal Party asked the leader not to run for a fourth term, handing him one of the biggest tests of his political career.
A smiling Mr. Trudeau said Liberals are “strong and united” after meeting with Liberal members of Parliament for three hours. Three Liberals said they were among a total of 20 plus lawmakers from the party to have signed a letter asking Mr. Trudeau to step down before the next election. There are 153 Liberals in Canada's House of Commons.
“He has to start listening, listening to the people,” said Ken McDonald, a Liberal Member of Parliament from Newfoundland who said he signed the letter, which has not been made public.
Mr. McDonald, who is not running again, said some of his colleagues who plan on running are nervous because of poor polling numbers. Also stating publicly that they had signed the letter were Wayne Long of New Brunswick and Sean Casey of Prince Edward Island.
Mr. Trudeau, who previously has said he plans to run again, didn't take questions from reporters after the meeting. No Canadian prime minister has won four straight terms in over 100 years.
His Cabinet ministers have supported him publicly.
“There is what would you call some palace drama going on right now. And that takes us away from the number one job, which is focusing on Canadians," said Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault, a Liberal Party member.