Some Liberal MPs disappointed by Trudeau saying so quickly that he’s staying

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is digging in, saying “yes,” he’s staying on as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

His assertion comes less than 24 hours after telling his MPs that he’d reflect on his future in the face of a deadline imposed by defectors in his caucus, and that’s left some feeling “disappointed.”

“We’re going to continue and have… great discussions about how I can best lead the Liberal party forward,” Trudeau told reporters on Thursday, facing questions about an emotionally charged caucus meeting the day prior.

“We’re focused on winning the next election, and we’ve got a great team around us to do it,” he said, backed by Liberal MPs.

But despite his efforts to show a united front, Trudeau came out of Wednesday’s meeting staring down an Oct. 28 deadline delivered by more than 20 disaffected Liberal MPs, who told him they want a new leader. 

With Trudeau now clearly brushing that timeline aside, less than 24 hours after telling his caucus he’d reflect on what he heard, some Liberal MPs who called for his resignation are questioning the sincerity of that pledge.

Asked if he thought his leader took enough time to consider next steps, Liberal MP Sean Casey said “no.”

“But I don’t think that he felt that he needed to reflect at all. I think his mind was made up,” Casey said. “Disappointed.”

Still hoping to run again in a seat he’s held for more than a decade, the member of Parliament for Charlottetown, P.E.I. said that while he thinks Trudeau is seeing something that his constituents don’t see, going forward, he’s going to focus his energy on getting re-elected.

“He listened but he wasn’t swayed… I don’t think that having this feeding frenzy for another two or three days would have helped anyone if his mind was made up anyway. So, it is what it is… Me personally, I’m moving on. There’s so much energy burned on all of this,” he said.

Patrick Weiler, the Liberal MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, B.C., said he wasn’t surprised that Trudeau said he is staying on. If he had said anything else, he’d “be a lame duck prime minister,” Weiler added.

Though, Weiler said it’ll be up to Trudeau to show that he can win.

“The ball is in his court, and I know there’s a lot of unanswered questions that a lot of caucus will be very keen to hear,” he said.

Saint John-Rothesay, N.B. MP Wayne Long, who has already said he’s not running again, said he was expecting Trudeau to take the weekend to consider next steps before coming back to his caucus on Monday with an answer.

“I’m just personally disappointed that it’s less than really 20 hours after many of us told him he had to, or thought he needed to step down,” Long said. “He told us he would reflect. It’s a pretty quick reflection and I think he needs to reflect more.”

Long said that while he respects Trudeau, the party needs a new leader to put its best foot forward against Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

These MPs’ comments come amid swirling suggestions that some are considering voting with the opposition on big issues, if Trudeau doesn’t resign.

Asked what conversations he’s been party to, Poilievre said he’s talked to “numerous Liberal MPs.”

“Some of them say that they’re worried that the carbon tax will cost them their seats,” Poilievre said. “And some of them might even be willing to vote non-confidence in Justin Trudeau if that issue comes up again.”

Casey and other MPs poured cold water on the Official Opposition leader’s claim, saying they hope their colleagues have better judgement.

“Every single colleague that I have talked to thinks that Pierre Poilievre in the prime minister’s office would be a bad thing. Anything that we do that makes that more likely, is dumb,” Casey said.

This infighting comes amid a separate effort brewing among some grassroots Liberals who are circulating a “code red” petition, calling on the party’s national executive and caucus to organize a secret ballot on the leadership question.

Adding to the pressure the prime minister is facing, the deadline for Trudeau to get back to his team was set for one day before the Bloc Quebecois’ ultimatum is set to expire.

If the Liberals don’t ensure a pair of Bloc bills get through a currently logjammed Parliament by Oct. 29, Yves-Francois Blanchet has said he’ll start talking to the other opposition parties about bringing down the government.

So even if Trudeau can corral his caucus, his minority government’s grip on power could be in peril.

“If there is a weakened Liberal party, both the Bloc and the NDP might have an incentive to bring the government down,” said political analyst Lori Williams.