Dissenting Liberal MPs preparing to confront Trudeau with petitition calling for his resignation

The number of Liberal MPs who have signed a petition asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign as Liberal Party leader has expanded to perhaps as many as 50 names and there are plans to confront Trudeau at this Wednesday’s caucus meeting about his political future.

The MPs have so far kept the names of the dissenting MPs secret and the petition has not been seen by anyone outside of the Liberal caucus. Trudeau remains adamant that he is going to stay on as Liberal leader and take the party into the next election campaign, which could come anytime between now and October 2025. Four more cabinet ministers announced last week that they would not be running for reelection. PEI Liberal MP Sean Casey publicly stated last week, “It’s time for him to go,” in reference to his advice for the prime minister.

Discontent has been building since the Liberals’ byelection loss this summer to Conservatives in the once-safe seat of Toronto-St.Paul. Anger accelerated when Trudeau lost two more byelections in Winnipeg and Montreal, including a Montreal riding once occupied by former Justice Minister David Lametti. Trudeau avoided attendance at the daily House or Commons Question Period in the week before the October break week, traveling to Laos.

Last week Trudeau appeared as the last witness at the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference and did his best to distract public and media attention from his leadership woes. Although the inquiry was established after revelations of Chinese interference into Canadian elections, Trudeau wanted to talk about alleged criminal activities by Indian diplomats and claimed to have a list of Conservatives who he suggested might be disloyal to Canada.

“I have the names of a number of parliamentarians, former parliamentarians and/or candidates in the Conservative Party of Canada who are engaged, or at high risk of, or for whom there is clear intelligence around, foreign interference,” the prime minister told commission counsel.

Official Opposition and Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre reacted with outrage, immediately issuing a statement on X that accused Trudeau of “lying” and demanded that he release the names of Conservatives under the influence of a foreign government.

Prominent Liberal cabinet ministers have been in damage control over the petition and the planned confrontation with Trudeau. Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland assured reporters that Trudeau enjoyed genuine popularity among most Liberal MPs.

“In any caucus, there is going to be a wide range of views. I am absolutely confident that the vast majority of members of our caucus support the prime minister.” Freeland told a Friday news conference in Winnipeg. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has also expressed her loyalty to Trudeau.