Majority of Trudeau’s caucus calls on him to quit
In a dramatic turn of events, a large portion of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s caucus is calling for him to step down or face a leadership review, following the release of a fully redacted report on allegations of cultural insensitivity and sexual misconduct.
The open letter, signed by 25 of his Liberal MPs, states that Trudeau has lost the trust of Canadians and can no longer effectively lead the country. The signatories include some of Trudeau’s most prominent cabinet ministers, such as Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne.
The prime minister has been facing intense pressure in recent weeks over allegations that he disguised himself in a brownface at a gala event in 2001, just three years after he began teaching at a private school. The Party’s national director, also resigned, in an earlier sign of the discontent within the party.
In an attempt to contain the crisis, Trudeau issued a formal apology and acknowledged, albeit belatedly, that he dressed in a Native Hawaiian outfit and darkened his skin with makeup, and later acknowledged that he had been “racist” in the past.
The caucus members argue that the alleged incident reflects the prime minister’s inability to effectively address and tackle the systemic racism faced by Canadians. The open letter concludes, “The actions of the Prime Minister have fallen short of the high standards to which Canadians expect of their leaders. It is crucial that we re-evaluate our prime minister, and we now urge the Prime Minister to step aside or face a leadership review.”
This sentiment is echoed by those within the parliamentary party, with several Liberal MPs expressing a lack of confidence in the prime minister’s ability to lead. Under the party’s constitution, a majority of caucus members can initiate a leadership review, which could potentially lead to his ousting.
Amidst this chaos, the left is anticipating a stalemate, with the Liberals holding a razor-thin majority in the House of Commons and the Centrist New Democratic Party leader, Jagmeet Singh, announcing that his party will use a parliamentary procedural maneuver to force a motion of no confidence in the government, at the earliest opportunity.