Some Liberal MPs repeat calls for Trudeau to quit after Freeland debacle — but he still has defenders

Some Liberal MPs said Tuesday Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can't carry on as party leader after the humiliation of Chrystia Freeland's public resignation from cabinet and another bruising byelection loss in B.C.

The calls for Trudeau to resign are coming from some of the same people who have said he should go in the past.

But some MPs who previously were on the fence — or even defended the prime minister in the past — are now coming forward to say it's time to turn the page on the Trudeau era.

Trudeau told disaffected MPs at a caucus meeting last night that he'd heard their concerns and would take time to think about his future. He's said that in the past, only to later decide to stay on to fight another day.

But the Liberals' byelection loss in B.C. last night might leave Trudeau with less room to manoeuvre.

The Conservative candidate won the seat by some 50 percentage points over the Liberal challenger — an embarrassing result, given the Liberals won that seat in the last general election.

One of the MPs now being more vocal about his desire for change at the top is B.C. Liberal MP Ken Hardie. He said Tuesday he "regrettably" believes the prime minister must resign and make room for another leader to take the party in a different direction.

Hardie said that while he was prepared to give Trudeau more time to try and restore his standing among Canadians, that just hasn't happened and it's time to go.

"The prime minister has not moved the needle," Hardie told the CBC News Network.

Hardie said the government has put forward some strong policies in recent months to address the challenges of our time, but they aren't resonating with Canadians because so many of them are just fed up with Trudeau.

"The Canadian people have been telling us for some time — the street has been talking to us — and they are saying this leader cannot be supported," he said.

"The prime minister just doesn't have the confidence of the Canadian people. The prime minister should resign and somebody new should take the party and the country forward."

Hardie follows Ontario MP Francis Drouin, who — after Freeland's shock resignation on Monday — said that Trudeau must step down. Drouin previously asked disaffected MPs to drop their efforts to push out the prime minister.

"I think he needs to go," Drouin said. "I've been a great defender but I don't see how we move forward."