Toronto: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced fresh calls for resignation this week after Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland quit in a surprise move after disagreeing with him over US President-elect Donald Trump's tariff threats.
A third of the ruling Liberal Party's MPs have called for a change in leadership in Canada further deepening the political crisis in the country. Canadian media outlets reported that Trudeau has not yet decided whether he will continue as Prime Minister or resign. The number of rebel MPs who have sought his ouster has grown to nearly 60 of the 153-strong caucus in the House of Commons.
Freeland also stepped down as Canada's Finance Minister, and her resignation marked the first open dissent against Prime Minister Trudeau from within his cabinet threatening his hold on power.
Liberal Party leader Trudeau lags 20 points in polls behind his main rival, Conservative Pierre Poilievre, who has tried three times since September to topple the Trudeau government and force a snap election.
"Our country today faces a grave challenge," Freeland said on social media platform X in her resignation letter, pointing to Trump's planned 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports. "For the past number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada," she wrote in her resignation letter.
Meanwhile, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said Trudeau should resign after Freeland left her post as finance minister. “People are having a very hard time paying for groceries. Young people can’t find affordable housing. Instead of dealing with issues that are important for Canadians, the Prime Minister is dealing with fighting in his own party. It’s clear that the Prime Minister cannot continue,” he said. Singh, however, did not call for an election or said his party would end its support for the minority government.
