The Liberal sink seems to be sinking fast, and Justin Trudeau is going down with it.
With Liberal MPs calling for a leadership review for Trudeau, rumblings of discontent within Liberal ranks suggest a full-blown mutiny may be on the horizon against the Prime Minister.
Sources say Trudeau has become “almost hated” in longtime Liberal strongholds like Atlantic Canada as rural voters reject his carbon tax and other out-of-touch policies.
For a leader who once rode a red wave into power, Trudeau is now watching his support drain away, even within his own party. Either Trudeau gets control of his mutinous crew, or he could face being thrown overboard before the next election.
At least for the most part, the House seems to be in agreement on something for once – that Justin Trudeau should be sacked.
This raises the question – when will that be?
The winds of change are blowing, and Trudeau’s leadership may not survive the gathering storm within the Liberal party.
Justin Trudeau’s sun may be setting sooner than he previously thought. The Liberal Prime Minister, who swept to power on a wave of enthusiasm in 2015, is now facing rising tides of unrest within his own party.
The latest act of revolt comes from Liberal MP Ken McDonald, who is openly calling for a leadership review of Trudeau. The demands from the Newfoundland backbencher are a clear sign that Trudeau is losing his grip on power.
McDonald argues that Trudeau has become a liability and the Liberals need fresh blood at the top if they want to have any hope of reversing their sagging political fortunes. He warns that Trudeau is “almost hated” in parts of Atlantic Canada, once a Liberal stronghold.
Rural voters in particular have turned on Trudeau over imposed policies like the carbon tax that they see as arrogant and out of touch with their lives.
McDonald himself brazenly voted against Trudeau’s climate agenda in Parliament, ignoring pressure from the PMO to get back on side. Now he is the first Liberal MP to openly break ranks and say enough is enough – it’s time to dump Trudeau.
And McDonald is unlikely to be the last. Other Liberal MPs will surely follow his lead in demanding a leadership review. After all, they can see the writing on the wall – the Liberals are heading for disaster in the next election if Trudeau remains in charge.
Recent polls have put the Conservatives 12 points ahead in Atlantic Canada, and 17 points overall, revealing the extent of the Liberal collapse under Trudeau’s leadership.
McDonald also gave his two-cents on the matter – even going as far as saying that he thinks Conservatives will probably make significant gains in the next election.
Trudeau has managed to squander all the goodwill and enthusiasm that swept the Liberals to power in 2015. Canadians who were willing to give the fresh-faced Trudeau a chance have now grown tired of his grandstanding ways.
Even Liberal loyalists are starting to openly criticize Trudeau.
At a restaurant in Newfoundland, voters who normally vote Liberal expressed frustration with Trudeau’s arrogance and his apparent disregard for the concerns of average people. His carbon tax appears to be a particular flashpoint, stirring up deep resentment in rural areas and among low-income Canadians and farmers who feel Trudeau is indifferent to their struggles.
This growing tide of unrest does not bode well for Trudeau’s political future. But the million dollar question is – will he pay any attention to the rumblings within his party? Or will Trudeau stubbornly insist on staying the course, further inflaming divisions within Liberal ranks?
Some pundits also believe Trudeau will be unwilling to step aside voluntarily. His ego is simply too large.
After all, this is the man who loves wearing flashy costumes and never misses a chance to pose for the camera. He may well calculate that his celebrity status gives him the best chance of holding onto power for the Liberals, even if a majority government now seems out of reach.
But Trudeau would be wise to read the writing on the wall. His act has grown tiresome for many Canadians.
Even die-hard Liberals are questioning if his leadership style – all sizzle but little substance – is what the party needs to take on challengers like Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives.
Poilievre has cannily tapped into the affordability concerns that appear to be resonating with more and more voters.
By forcing through policies like the carbon tax, Trudeau has left himself wide open to being portrayed as an out-of-touch elitist who doesn’t care about the pocketbooks of average Canadians.
The next election is still two years away. But at the current rate of rising internal dissent, Trudeau may not make it that far.
The knives are coming out as Liberals start to envision a future without their current rock star leader.
Trudeau would be wise to take the concerns of MPs like McDonald seriously and agree to a leadership review. It may be his only path to political survival, even if it wounds his massive ego. Better to step aside gracefully now rather than face the debilitating shame of being outright ousted by your own caucus.
Of course, Trudeau may yet manage to turn things around before the next election. He has proven himself a formidable campaigner in the past, able to whip up enthusiasm with his charismatic style.
When McDonald was asked to further elaborate on his claims, he openly called for a leadership review for the Prime Minister, in order to “clear the air.”
McDonald’s open call for a leadership review suggests Trudeau is rapidly running out of road. The Liberal ship appears to be foundering badly under his captaincy.
So for now, Trudeau remains at the helm of the Liberal party. But it’s clear the captain is losing his grip on the wheel. The rumblings of discontent heard from McDonald and other MPs could quickly swell into an open mutiny if Trudeau doesn’t change course soon.
And it’s not just McDonald who is considering a full-blown revolt, but several other Liberal MPs have also spoken out on the matter.
With Liberal MPs gathering in Ottawa for party strategy meetings, speculation is heating up once more about dissatisfaction within the caucus over Justin Trudeau’s leadership.
“I think the prime minister still carries a lot of credibility with the voters. Should there be a review? Maybe we should have a discussion on that,” Northwest Territories Liberal MP Michael McLeod said.
“I’ve been in elected politics for 30 years, did I agree with every premier I served with, or every prime minister? Absolutely not,” Labrador MP Yvonne Jones said.
It seems that the Liberals are slowly coming to terms with the idea that Trudeau is a failed leader and that they may need to abandon ship pretty soon.
In fact, Trudeau’s former justice minister David Lametti announced that he will resign by the end of this month, after eight years as an MP, being the latest Liberal to flee Trudeau’s sinking ship.
Canadians are tired of leaders who overstay their welcome. Trudeau may have fallen into the sticky trap of believing his own hype. He may have been popular back in 2015, but now, with his approval ratings plummeting, the long legacy that he dreams of seems out of reach.
Even his own party members want to distance themselves from the growing anti-Trudeau sentiment that seems likely to doom Liberal reelection hopes.
At the same time, Liberal heavyweights with leadership aspirations will be working diligently behind the scenes to position themselves as credible alternatives.
It’s not hard to imagine Finance Minister Freeland or Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly gently twisting the knife into Trudeau’s back when appearing on political talk shows.
After all, the window for seizing the Liberal leadership may be narrow, with an election looming.
Trudeau seems destined for the political scrapheap sooner rather than later.
Whether he stubbornly clings to the bitter end or eventually bows to internal unrest and agrees to step aside graciously, his leadership appears fatally damaged.
The popularity that swept him to power is a distant memory now. His good looks, connections, charm and famous last name can only take him so far.
The Liberals are a coldly pragmatic party at heart.
They will boot Trudeau in a heartbeat once they conclude he has become an electoral millstone who could sink their reelection hopes. And that moment may be fast approaching.
