Trudeau made last-ditch effort to buy time for his government: sources

After the announcement of his resignation, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made attempts to secure the survival of his government for a few more weeks in Parliament by reaching out to opposition leaders for support. Sources revealed that Trudeau personally contacted the leaders of the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Québécois the day after his resignation announcement.

Trudeau hoped to secure a commitment from either party to vote in favor of the budget appropriations, a crucial vote of confidence scheduled for the end of March. This would have allowed the Liberal government more time to elect its new leader. However, both the NDP and the Bloc refused to back Trudeau, standing by their promises to bring down the government at the earliest opportunity.

During his conversation with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Trudeau highlighted the potential benefits of extending dental care programs and the federal drug insurance plan with NDP support. However, the NDP maintained that their focus was on addressing the challenges faced by the people and the economic threats, rather than assisting the Liberals in their internal issues.

With the failure to secure additional time, the Liberal Party announced an accelerated leadership race with the new leader set to be announced on March 9. The resignation of former finance minister Chrystia Freeland had put pressure on the Liberal authorities, eventually leading to Trudeau’s resignation on January 6.

A critical budgetary deadline on March 26 could lead to the fall of the Liberal government if they do not secure support from at least one opposition party. The government also faces a confidence vote on its speech from the throne at the beginning of the new parliamentary session on March 24. However, the government has options to postpone or avoid this vote.

The upcoming budget appropriations vote remains unavoidable, setting the stage for the next prime minister and Liberal leader to outline their priorities and vision in the throne speech before potentially launching into an election campaign a few days later. The new prime minister, elected on March 9, could dissolve Parliament at any time after taking office to initiate an election campaign.

The political landscape in Canada remains uncertain as Trudeau’s attempts to prolong his government’s tenure were met with resistance from opposition parties. The stage is set for a new leader to take the helm and navigate the challenges ahead in the upcoming election cycle.