A backbencher has become the first sitting member of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party caucus to call on him to resign after a disastrous by-election defeat.
Wayne Long said new leadership was needed “for the future of our party and for the good of our country” in an email to fellow party members obtained by Canadian media.
Mr. Long, who represents a riding in the province of New Brunswick, wrote that “the voters have spoken loud and clear and they want change.”
This follows the Liberals’ disastrous result in a by-election on Monday, when they lost a seat in Toronto they had held since 1993.
Mr Long has been an MP since 2015 and had previously said he would not seek re-election.
According to the National Post, Newfoundland MP Ken McDonald responded to all of Mr. Long’s emails by saying: “Well said!”
In recent days, former Liberal politicians have also called on Mr. Trudeau to step down.
Among them was Catherine McKenna, who served as environment minister under Mr. Trudeau from 2015 to 2019.
“The Liberal Party is not about one person. It is about the values they stand for and improving the lives of Canadians,” McKenna said in a statement she shared with media.
“The Prime Minister has a legacy to be proud of, but it’s time for new ideas, new energy and a new leader.”
Former British Columbia Liberal premier Christy Clark made a similar statement Thursday in an interview with the Toronto Star.
Ms Clark said the Prime Minister “no longer has the influence he once had with voters, but more importantly he is not even able to motivate some of the people in the country who are most likely to to vote for his party.
The next election in Canada must be held by October 20, 2025.
After Monday’s crushing defeat, Mr. Trudeau, who has been prime minister since 2015, promised to remain at the head of the Liberal Party.
“These are not easy times,” he said. “And it’s clear that my team and I still have a lot of work to do to make real, tangible progress that Canadians can see and feel.”
The Prime Minister has not responded to journalists’ questions since his defeat.
The Conservatives won the Toronto-St Paul seat by just over 500 votes.
Mr. Trudeau has seen his popularity decline significantly due to a host of issues, including cost-of-living pressures.
A recent Ipsos poll for Global News suggests that as many as 68 per cent of Canadians want Mr. Trudeau to resign.
