Justin Trudeau to visit Montreal on Wednesday

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is slated to be in Quebec this Wednesday, participating in various events in and around Montreal.

This comes as several members of his caucus express concerns about his future as leader of the Liberal Party after Conservatives took a stronghold from them in a Toronto by-election last week.

In the morning, Trudeau is expected to make a community infrastructure announcement and hold a press briefing.

In the evening, Trudeau is slated to take part in a Liberal Party fundraising event accompanied by ministers Mélanie Joly and Soraya Martinez Ferrada, where he is expected to address Liberal activists.

The Conservatives caused a stir when they won the by-election in the riding of Toronto-St. Paul’s, a riding that was considered a stronghold for the Liberals for more than 30 years.

In the wake of the Liberal candidate’s defeat at the hands of her Conservative rival by less than 600 votes, Trudeau assured voters that he had heard their “concerns” and “frustrations” but gave no indication that he would be stepping down.

In an interview with Radio-Canada in Newfoundland and Labrador on Monday, the Prime Minister reiterated that he still has “a lot of work to do” and he intends to remain in office.

After the defeat in Toronto-St. Paul’s, a Liberal MP who is not seeking re-election e-mailed fellow caucus members demanding that Trudeau resign as party leader.

In the e-mail, obtained by The Canadian Press, New Brunswick MP Wayne Long said that “for the future of our party and for the good of our country, we need new leadership and a new direction.”

However, other elected officials have offered their support to Trudeau.

At a media scrum in New Brunswick on Tuesday, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc argued that the defeat in the by-election is an opportunity for the government to do some soul-searching.

“Personally, I was disappointed with the results in Toronto-St. Paul’s. I think we need to reflect as a government. The Prime Minister said it well in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, that it’s a time to recognize defeat and understand what we can improve to better serve Canadians and stay focused on their priorities,” he said.

— This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 3, 2024.