In Canada, Trudeau resigns due to internal conflicts within his party

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada steps down.

Upadhyay Brajesh.

BBC News, Washington.

After a new leader of the ruling Liberal party is selected, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will step down as the party’s leader.

The events of today are summarized here.

Trudeau claimed that “this country deserves a real choice” in the upcoming election, but he also said that he was unable to compete against his political rivals because of internal party strife.

There had been mounting pressure on the prime minister to resign, both inside and outside of his party.

He has declared that the parliament will be prorogued until March 24. This means that for the next two and a half months, parliament will not be able to function.

Sachit Mehra, the president of the Liberal Party, announced that he will call a National Board meeting this week in order to choose a new leader.

This is a list of potential candidates to succeed Trudeau.

His resignation and the responses to it are also available here.

Our live coverage comes to an end here. We appreciate your participation, and please return often for updates as this story develops over the next few days and months.

Liberal MP: Trudeau has worn me out.

Liberal MP Kody Blois, who has been in Parliament since 2019, recently told the BBC’s World News Tonight that Trudeau was forced to step down due to Canadians’ disenchantment with him.

Using Trudeau’s nine-year term as an example, Blois said it was “a long time in any modern political reality.”.

“A lot of my constituents may have some concerns about the policy agenda because he was in the media and the public eye a lot, but I think it just became a bit of fatigue with the Prime Minister himself,” he said.

Blois added that Canada needs a “leadership renewal” even though Trudeau has been “consequential.”.

Trudeau took “meaningful steps” to address Indigenous issues, according to the National Chief.

Nepinak, who worked on Trudeau’s campaign, wrote, “Prime Minister Trudeau has taken significant steps to address issues that matter to First Nations during his decade in office.”.

For his efforts in the areas of child welfare, education, housing, and clean water, Nepinak commended Trudeau’s leadership. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, which brought Canadian law into line with the rights and self-determination of First Nations, was another achievement she acknowledged.

the current state of trade relations between the US and Canada.

Jessica Murphy.

BBC News, Toronto.

During a period of instability in Canada, Trudeau resigned.

President Donald Trump will take the oath of office in just two weeks.

The date is being watched carefully in Canada because Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, which economists believe would be disastrous for the trade-dependent nation unless Canada strengthens border security.

Trudeau’s leadership may have come to an end as a result of this tariff threat. Even though Trudeau visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, Florida, home to make Canada’s case, his deputy quit her position, citing the prime minister’s alleged inability to take that threat seriously.

Though it’s unclear if these measures will be sufficient to stop Trump’s levy, Canada has also committed to a number of initiatives to strengthen border security with the United States.

Trade and the economy are closely intertwined between the two neighbors.

Additionally, Canadian representatives have been lobbying U.S. lawmakers on the importance of free trade between the two countries. The Office of the US Trade Representative estimates that U.S. goods and services trade with Canada reached $908 billion in 2022.

Experts caution that Canada’s economy is already slowing down and is not well-positioned to withstand shocks.

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s (USMCA) future is also up for debate. In 2026, the three trading partners will determine whether to renew the agreement for an additional 16 years.

Reactions to news of resignations from Canadians outside the parliament.

John Sudworth.

reporting from Ottawa. .

The PM’s office is the scene of a small group protest, with some confused bystanders watching.

One of them is Hames Gamarra, who lives with his young daughter in Burnaby, British Columbia. They are spending a few days in Ottawa.

He asks me, “What’s going on?”. I answer that Trudeau has resigned. He laughs and responds, “Oh, that’s politics.”.

Hames tells me that he had previously voted for Trudeau and that, overall, he believes that things have gone well under his leadership.

He identifies himself as a carpenter. “I take care of my own affairs, receive my pay, and settle the bills. Everything has been alright. “”.

But from Cantley, Quebec, which is a half-hour drive away, Marise Cassivi is a local. She is happy to have heard the news already.

She tells me, “We were hoping and waiting for his resignation.”. I ask, “Why?”. “Because of what’s happening in our nation,” she answers.

Before Christmas, my 16-year-old daughter said that his tax cuts were terrible. “”.

If she thinks this is the end of an era, I ask her.

“Oui!” she exclaims forcefully.

Feeling a little depressed?

She responds, “No.”. “It’s the proper thing. “”.

The White House refers to Trudeau as a “stalwart” friend.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre referred to Trudeau as a “stalwart” American friend.

As close allies and G7 members, she said the Biden administration had collaborated with Trudeau on a variety of issues.

“We have worked together to maintain North America’s position as the most economically competitive region in the world, and the president is thankful for the prime minister’s cooperation on all of that, as well as his dedication to protecting North America from the geopolitical threats of the twenty-first century,” she said.

Where did Trudeau’s situation go wrong?

Holley Honderich.

Toronto’s BBC News.

Today, Justin Trudeau resigned, ending the remarkable tenure of a talented politician who won his first federal election in 2015 by leading the Liberal party from third to first place.

He was found to have broken federal conflict of interest laws in handling a corruption investigation (the SNC-Lavalin affair) and for lavish Bahamas vacations, but a string of ethics scandals early on started to erode the shine from his new administration.

Despite enduring the crises and surviving two more federal elections, his ability to remain in office appeared to be weakened in the most recent term. As the housing and affordability crises worsened, polls showed his popularity falling, and his minority government found it difficult to hold onto power in Parliament.

Before the 2025 election, Trudeau brushed aside calls for him to resign as Liberal leader, arguing that he was the most qualified candidate to defeat Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party.

However, the prime minister took a serious hit in December. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, a longtime ally, resigned from the cabinet in a bitter public letter implying that she no longer trusted him.

From there, there were growing calls within his own party for Trudeau to resign, and a recent poll revealed that the Liberals’ popularity had dropped to a record-low 16 percent. Trudeau’s announcement today seemed to recognize that by Christmas, his position had turned from difficult to untenable.

What Trudeau did and did not do in his nine years in office.

Nadine Yousif. .

reporting from Toronto. .

Prime Minister Trudeau was questioned about his accomplishments and whether he had any regrets during the press conference on Monday morning.

Trudeau described his emphasis on bolstering the middle class as a high point, stating that his administration implemented several measures that assisted in lowering taxes for Canadians with lower incomes.

The implementation of a nationwide child care program is one of those policies, which has lowered day care expenses for some Canadians to an average of $10 per day.

Along with his climate change initiatives, Trudeau said he was proud of his government’s efforts to promote reconciliation with Indigenous communities in Canada, including through funding clean water projects.

His government’s 2018 nationwide legalization of marijuana for recreational use is something he did not mention but will surely be remembered for.

Trudeau mentioned his broken pledge to implement electoral reform in Canada as one of his regrets.

One of his key promises was to replace the first-past-the-post system with ranked voting, which determines the winner based on the number of votes, regardless of whether they receive a majority.

Trudeau explained that he was unable to alter the nation’s electoral system “unilaterally without support from other parties” as the reason for his failure to do so.

Voters in Canada are most concerned about the cost of living.

Holly Honderich.

Toronto-based BBC News.

Although Canada needs to call a general election by October, Justin Trudeau’s announcement today increases the likelihood that it will happen earlier, this spring.

The cost of living remains a top concern for Canadians, particularly as the nation battles growing inflation. The cost of living and inflation were ranked as the top priorities by 25% of all respondents, up 5% from the previous year, according to a December poll conducted by the Ipsos firm for Global News.

Prior to the election, housing affordability and availability will probably be another hot topic of conversation. With prices in Canada soaring, many people find it difficult to make their rent or mortgage payments. Since a six-figure yearly income is required to buy a home in major cities like Toronto and Vancouver, the problem is particularly severe there.

Voters will also consider healthcare. Every aspect of the provincially administered system has problems, including basic access. Primary care physicians are not regularly accessible to about 6 to 5 million Canadians.

This week is when the Liberal Party will begin the process of selecting a new leader.

In a statement issued today, the president of the Liberal Party of Canada, Sachit Mehra, said he intends to call a meeting of the National Board this week to choose a new party leader.

“For more than ten years of leadership to our party and the nation, Justin Trudeau has our sincere gratitude,” he wrote.

Trudeau was commended by Mehra for reviving the party and turning it into “the most open and inclusive movement in Canadian politics”.

He wrote, “Until a new leader is chosen, we look forward to his continued leadership and thank him for his service to Canada.”.

Trump responds by criticizing the “51st state” once more.

Donald Trump, the US president-elect, made another insulting suggestion that Canada become the 51st state to join the US, less than two hours after Trudeau announced his resignation.

Trump wrote on his social media account, Truth Social, “Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State.”.

“In the event that Canada and the U. S. Tariffs would be eliminated, taxes would drastically decrease, and they would be completely safe from the threat posed by the Chinese and Russian ships that are always circling them. “What a wonderful nation we would be together!”.

Trump reportedly made this suggestion the last time Trudeau visited his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida in December to discuss the proposed tariffs. The economy of Canada would be devastated if Trump were to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian goods.

A mocking of Trudeau as the “governor” of the “Great State of Canada” followed.

It was “in no way a serious comment,” according to a Canadian minister who accompanied Trudeau.

According to the leader of the party that supported Trudeau’s tenure in office, Liberals are not worthy of another chance.

The head of Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP), Jagmeet Singh, has been responding to Trudeau’s resignation.

He claims that Trudeau and the Liberal Party have “let Canadians down” during a press conference, focusing in particular on the cost of living.

“Whoever becomes the next Liberal leader is irrelevant. You have been let down by them. He asserts that they don’t merit another chance.

Singh denounces the Conservatives as “another serious threat to the middle class” and warns that they will implement “cuts” that will hurt Canadians.

In response to inquiries from reporters, Singh declares that he wants an election and that he will vote against this government in any vote of confidence.

When asked if the Liberals can do anything to prevent the NDP from endorsing a motion of no confidence, he responds, “No. When a vote of confidence is held, we will vote against the government. “,”.

Additionally, he calls the Liberals’ proroguing of parliament “completely wrong.”.

The fourth-largest party in the Canadian House of Commons, the center-left NDP, terminated a two-and-a-half-year-old deal with Justin Trudeau’s Liberals in September, which had assisted in maintaining his minority government.

In his resignation address, Trudeau states, “I cannot be the best option if I have to fight internal battles.”.

“Real choice in the next election” is what Canadians deserve, Trudeau said in his resignation speech today in Ottawa.

“I’ve realized that I can’t be the best choice in that election if I’m fighting internal battles,” he stated.

The “internal battles” were mainly Trudeau’s recent struggles as he resisted numerous resignation calls, including from members of his own party.

The resignation in December of Chrystia Freeland, one of Trudeau’s most devoted and influential ministers, seems to have been the decisive moment. According to Freeland, Trudeau was not paying enough attention to the prospect of tariffs from the incoming Trump administration in the US.

After Freeland resigned, Trudeau began to lose the support of smaller parties, such as the left-leaning New Democrats and the Quebec nationalist Bloc Quebecois, that had previously assisted in maintaining the Liberal Party’s hold on power.

An election is needed, according to the leader of the Bloc Quebecois.

The leader of the Bloc Quebecois, a federal party dedicated to promoting Quebec interests, responded to the news of Justin Trudeau’s resignation by saying that an election must be held in Canada as soon as possible.

After the Liberal Party has selected a new leader, Yves-François Blanchet told reporters in Ottawa that it was time for an election.

He went on to say he thinks Trudeau was right to resign, “even if it will cost us a few weeks” before Canadians can cast their ballots.

The next federal election must take place by October at the latest. In the event that a no-confidence motion to overthrow Trudeau’s Liberal government is approved by parliament, including members of Bloc Quebecois, it could be called much sooner.

In order to give his party time to find a new leader, Trudeau postponed the current parliament until after March 27.

What is going to happen to Canada next?

Holly Honderich.

Toronto-based BBC News.

This morning, Justin Trudeau reaffirmed the growing rumor that he would resign as Liberal Party leader and prime minister.

Then what?

His request to prorogue parliament was granted, according to Trudeau, which means that while parliament will not be dissolved, all activities, including debates and votes, will be halted.

The prorogation will end on March 24. Meanwhile, the Liberal Party will search for a new leader, which typically takes four months.

On Monday, the Liberal Party president announced that a “nation-wide democratic process” would be employed to choose a new leader, but he gave no additional information. Members of the party cast ballots at party conventions in Canada to elect federal leaders.

Although parliament will reconvene on March 24, the newly elected Liberal leader might not be in office for long.

With a double-digit lead in opinion polls, the Conservative Party has been trying for months to force an election, which must take place before October, by introducing a number of no-confidence votes in the Commons. In March, they probably will do so once more.

It is expected that a government will step down or seek to dissolve parliament in the event that it loses a vote or a motion of confidence in the House, which would lead to a federal election.

In a vote of no-confidence, the government must have the support of the majority of the 338 members of parliament. The Liberals need support from members of Canada’s other parties because they are 17 seats short of that.

Trudeau should have resigned sooner, according to a former minister.

Catherine McKenna, a former minister under Justin Trudeau, expresses regret that Trudeau did not step down sooner.

McKenna, who served as Canada’s environment minister from 2015 to 2019 and as the country’s minister of infrastructure and communities from 2019 to 2021, said she demanded his resignation six months prior on BBC Radio 4’s PM program.

She claims that although Canadians were “tired” of Trudeau after nine years, his legacy will include “a lot of things that made our country better.”.

McKenna adds that he will also be remembered for his efforts to restructure the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), maintain Canada’s trading relationship with the United States, and address climate change.

When asked if she had any regrets about Trudeau’s premiership, McKenna says that the only thing she regrets is that Trudeau didn’t quit sooner because of the “challenging situation” of Donald Trump’s impending return to the US presidency.

She adds that the Liberal Party might have had trouble implementing certain policies, like housing.

This is Trudeau’s first response to Chrystia Freeland’s departure.

Yousif Nadine.

Reporting from Toronto.

For the first time, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly discussed the departure of his longtime ally and former finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, during this morning’s news conference.

Her December resignation is credited with igniting a new and more intense effort within the Liberal Party to pressure Trudeau to resign.

Freeland’s resignation letter, which caused a stir in Canada and many other nations, detailed her differences with Trudeau regarding government spending and how to respond to incoming US President Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs against Canada.

After Trudeau told her that he planned to replace her as finance minister, she made the abrupt decision to leave. It had been reported that he had extended an offer to her for another job that would deal with the US-Canada relationship.

Trudeau had not mentioned Freeland publicly since, and he had chosen not to participate in his customary year-end interviews with Canadian media. Today, though, that was different.

Trudeau praised Freeland, who had been his “incredible political partner” for nearly a decade.

Trudeau remarked, “I had hoped that she would agree to continue as my deputy PM and take on one of the most important files that this country is facing, but she chose rather than.”.

He declined to elaborate on their private discussions.

“I thank Justin Trudeau for his years of service to Canada and Canadians,” Freeland wrote succinctly in a post on X in response to his resignation. I send my best wishes to him and his family. “..”.