Trump's trolling and tariffs sped up Trudeau's demise. How will Canada handle him now?
Canadians woke up Tuesday to an uncertain future, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would resign and bring his near-decade in power to an end.
Canadians woke up Tuesday to an uncertain future, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would resign and bring his near-decade in power to an end.
Trudeau's announcement came just days into an election year and followed weeks of mounting pressure from within his own party to step down as he battled dire poll ratings partly driven by soaring inflation, rising immigration and his handling of President-elect Donald Trump.
"If I’m having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option” in Canada's next election, Trudeau, 53, told reporters in Ottawa.
His decision has triggered an urgent search within the Liberal party to identify a new candidate who can take on Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. Poilievre has dominated in the polls and was last on 44% according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, compared with Trudeau — whose rating sits just above 20%.
A key focus for whoever leads Canada next will be managing their country’s relationship with the incoming Trump administration.
Rating: 5