'We need to regroup,' says Liberal minister and Ontario campaign co-chair in light of byelection loss

A member of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet and the party's Ontario co-chair for the next campaign says the Liberals 'need to regroup' after a shocking overnight byelection loss to Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives.

A member of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet and the party's Ontario co-chair for the next campaign says the Liberals "need to regroup" after a shocking overnight byelection loss to Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives.

In an interview on CTV News Channel's Power Play with Vassy Kapelos, Minister Karina Gould said the Liberals now need to spend the summer recalibrating and reconnecting with Canadians. 

Though, she doesn't think this disappointing defeat means Trudeau's leadership is in peril, nor should an early election be called to allow Canadians across the country to have their say as Poilievre is pushing for.

"The election is 16 months away, and that's a lifetime in politics, many different things can happen," Gould said. "We need to regroup." 

Her comments come as some of her caucus colleagues quietly expressed more acute concern about the fate and state of the party under Trudeau's continued leadership, given it now appears any current Liberal riding could be in play.

Gould said that while the Liberals did not expect to lose one of the party's longest-held and safest seats to kick off months of the barbecue circuit, the message received is they "need to listen more closely to what the voters – not just in Toronto-St. Paul's, but right across the country – are telling us."

"But no, I don't think it means that the prime minister needs to resign."