MNI BRIEF: Liberal Lawmaker Says Trudeau Needs To Step Aside
MNI (OTTAWA) - Canadian Liberal lawmaker Chad Collins said Monday after a party meeting with Justin Trudeau that he must step down as Prime Minister to avoid a defeat in the next election to rival Conservatives.
“We’re not united, there are still a number of our members who feel we need a change in leadership, I am one of those,” he said while leaving an emergency 5pm meeting. Earlier in the day he posted a letter identifying himself as part of a group of 23 Liberal lawmakers who earlier this year pressured Trudeau to quit.
Several other Liberal members of Parliament said they personally support the prime minister, but declined to say what the group of lawmakers told Trudeau about potentially resigning. Trudeau hasn't made any public comment since Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland quit cabinet around 9am saying she couldn't deliver a promised fiscal update in the afternoon. She cited fiscal gimmicks and a lack of focus on the threat of a trade war with the U.S. (See: MNI: Trudeau Deficit Unlikely To Fix Canada's Vibecession)