Trudeau Leaves Canada in Suspense Amid Anxious Calls for Him to Step Down

As the holiday period comes to an end, Canada is left wondering when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make a decision about his future. The Liberal Party, which has been plagued by low polling numbers and internal divisions, is urging him to step aside.

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The Silence from the PMO

Since December 16th, when Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned in a public letter criticizing Trudeau’s leadership, the Prime Minister has largely disappeared from public view. According to sources familiar with his schedule, Trudeau spent much of the holidays at a ski resort in western Canada and is not planning any official events or appearances by the end of the week.

Pressure Mounts on Trudeau

The lack of transparency surrounding Trudeau’s decision-making process is causing concern among Liberal MPs, who are urging him to come clean about his plans. The longer he waits, the more he risks provoking a Liberal rebellion, said Nik Nanos, founder of Nanos Research.

"It’s not tenable for the Prime Minister to stay," said Nik Nanos, referring to the situation in which Trudeau is currently stuck. "The longer he waits, the more damage he will inflict on the party brand."

A Leadership Race Looms

If Trudeau does decide to resign, a leadership race may take three months to run. However, even if the Liberals are able to avoid a forced election during a leadership contest, the winner would have a relatively short period of time before being thrown into a national campaign.

"A politically wounded prime minister is not really in a very strong position to negotiate anything with someone like Donald Trump," said Nanos.

The Road Ahead for the Liberal Party

Regardless of who becomes the new leader, the Liberal Party faces a difficult road ahead. Even with a new leader, the party would need a major turnaround in public opinion just to save most of its seats, much less hold onto government.

"The Liberals’ worst showing in any national election was in 2011," said Nanos. "They won 19% of the popular vote, which translated into just 34 of 308 seats."

The Impact on Canada

The uncertainty surrounding Trudeau’s future has significant implications for Canada. The country is already facing economic challenges, and a prolonged period of political instability could exacerbate these issues.

"As Ottawa’s management team, investors would call for a restructuring," said an editorial in the Globe and Mail. "If you’re worried about the direction of Canada, look no further than the Liberal Party."

What’s Next?

As the situation continues to unfold, Canadians are left wondering what will happen next. Will Trudeau resign and trigger a leadership race? Or will he try to cling to power despite his dwindling popularity?

One thing is certain: the future of Canadian politics has never been more uncertain.