Ottawa: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation on Monday in the face of rising discontent over his leadership, and after the abrupt departure of his finance minister signalled growing turmoil within his government.
Trudeau had been planning to run for a fourth term in next year’s election, even in the face of rising discontent among Liberal Party members. The party recently suffered upsets in special elections in two districts in Toronto and Montreal that it has held for years. No Canadian prime minister in more than a century has won four straight terms.
And based on the latest polls, Trudeau’s chances for success looked slim. In the latest poll by Nanos, the Liberals trail the Conservatives 47 per cent to 21 per cent.
Over nearly a decade in power, Trudeau embraced an array of causes favoured by his liberal base. He spoke in favour of immigration at a time when other countries were trying to tighten their borders. He championed diversity and gender equality, appointing a Cabinet that was equal parts men and women. He legalised cannabis.
Trudeau: A nightclub bouncer and a TV host
Trudeau’s father swept to power in 1968, and led Canada for almost 16 years, becoming a storied name in the country’s history, most notably by opening its doors wide to immigrants. Pierre Trudeau was often compared to John F. Kennedy and remains one of the few Canadian politicians who are recognized in America.
Tall and trim, with movie-star looks, Justin Trudeau channelled the star power-- if not quite the political heft-- of his father. He became the second-youngest prime minister in Canada’s history, and rivals said his age was a liability when he first sought office. But he won a sweeping mandate in a come-from-behind victory in 2015.
Trudeau is a former teacher, nightclub bouncer and snowboard instructor who has three children with his now estranged wife, a former model and TV host.
How did Trudeau come into power and what went wrong?
Trudeau came to power in 2015 after 10 years of Conservative Party rule, and had initially been hailed for returning the country to its liberal past. But the 53-year-old scion of one of Canada’s most famous prime ministers became deeply unpopular with voters in recent years over a range of issues, including the soaring cost of food and housing, and surging immigration.
The political upheaval comes at a difficult moment for Canada internationally. US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian goods if the government does not stem what Trump calls a flow of migrants and drugs in the US — even though far fewer of each cross into the US from Canada than from Mexico, which Trump has also threatened.
Canada is a major exporter of oil and natural gas to the US, which also relies on its northern neighbour for steel, aluminium and autos. Trudeau kept publicly mum in recent weeks, despite intensifying pressure for him to step down.
(With inputs from agency)
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