Canada's political landscape has changed dramatically following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's resignation on Jan. 6 due to mounting crises and declining approval ratings. Despite having a track record of seeing crises through, he has been driven out of office by the deep divisions within his Liberal Party. His forced departure has highlighted a grim reality that his caucus, his party and most of the country have decided to move on without him. Until the next leader of the Liberal Party is chosen, Trudeau will keep functioning as prime minister, a process that is likely to be completed by late March. To manage this transition properly, Governor General Mary Simon has agreed to Trudeau’s request for Parliament to be prorogued until March 24.
In Canada, political proceedings are effectively stopped by prorogation, which shuts down all legislative activity. However, in his remaining days as the prime minister, Trudeau can implement already approved policies. To that end, Cabinet ministers and civil servants will continue with their responsibilities to ensure governmental continuity. Now, the Liberal Party faces the tough challenge of selecting a new leader to take over the charge and unite a divided party before the next elections. The new prime minister will serve until the next general election, set for Oct. 2025.
So, with the resignation of Trudeau, a decade-long chapter of charisma and controversy has finally ended in Canadian politics. His political journey, which started with a bang and delusive optimism, has now entered into a dreadful phase of despondency. After relegation to minority governments in 2019 and 2021 – elections he won with fewer votes than the Conservatives – his leadership became a delicate balancing act. Reliant on left-wing New Democratic Party support to pass key legislation, the once-vibrant Liberals morphed into a diminished force, drained of vision and energy.
Just a few weeks ago, he was trying every trick in the book to confront the steep rise of Conservatives who were making strides under the leadership of Pierre Poilievre. All the opinion polls were projecting the massive popularity of the Conservatives, but Trudeau kept bragging about fighting until the last drop. But his political battle already resembled a steep uphill climb and he underestimated the months-long brewing unrest within his own ranks.
What began as murmurs of dissatisfaction among former lawmakers and Cabinet members soon escalated into open calls for his resignation, including from sitting legislators. His signature policies – including universal, affordable day and dental care – were part of major political maneuvering designed to entice the New Democratic Party (NDP) in exchange for keeping him in power. The speed with which he lost the confidence of his cabinet members and once-loyal political allies was quite astonishing for himself as well because just a few days back, he was quite confident that he would be able to drag the situation until the next elections in October. But he quickly found himself marginalized in the shifting power dynamics.
The breaking point arrived just before Christmas when Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland decided to tender her resignation ahead of a meeting where she was supposed to present her much-anticipated economic update. Her resignation precipitated the sudden sense of collapse surrounding Trudeau’s leadership. It was a massive political blow that finally coerced Trudeau to call it a day.
In her resignation letter, Freeland acknowledged that resigning was the "only honest and viable path." Although Trudeau offered another Cabinet position, she declined to remain part of a sinking ship. Both of them had divergent views on how to tackle the incoming Trump administration, with Freeland openly criticizing Trudeau’s handling of the economy. She also wrote that: "Our country today faces a grave challenge. The incoming administration in the United States is pursuing a policy of aggressive economic nationalism, including a threat of 25% tariffs. We need to take that threat extremely seriously."
Her abrupt departure jolted Ottawa, igniting a firestorm of demands for Trudeau to step aside. His youthful charisma that once revitalized Canadian politics now felt like a relic of a bygone period.
As Trudeau bows out, many pricking questions swirl in the air: Was the decision to resign his own or did it reflect the inevitable outcome of a party that had grown impatient with its once unassailable leader?
As per Freeland’s statements, her exit was linked to frustrations with Trudeau’s governance style – his insistence on costly spending measures even as deficits ballooned and economic pressures mounted.
There is no doubt that during his tenure, Canada outperformed its G-7 counterparts in inflation control and gross domestic product (GDP) growth; Trudeau’s policies became the scapegoat for the country’s mounting economic problems. The polished, stylish rhetoric and media-savvy demeanor that once catapulted him to stardom now rang hollow, leaving him disconnected from the daily struggles of ordinary Canadians.
Although Trudeau was quite successful in rolling out some of his aggressive infinitives like a national sales tax holiday, he miserably failed in fulfilling the long list of ambitious political slogans – for example, a $250 stimulus cheque for working Canadians. He spoke of the need to reduce economic disparities in Canada, but he failed to follow through. His inability to deliver on his campaign rhetoric and promises caused irrepressible damage to his credibility.
He once symbolized a progressive antidote to the divisive politics of Donald Trump. However, a void that was somewhat uncomfortable sat beneath the surface of his public face. His foreign policy in recent years became a subject of debate. By passionately supporting Ukraine and exhibiting uncritical alignment with Israel’s far-right government – while completely ignoring the heightening gruesome violence in Gaza and the West Bank – Trudeau kept on unthinkingly treading the path of Washington’s geopolitical priorities.
Trudeau’s image has gradually eroded to the point where he is now considered the symbol of everything wrong with liberal optimism: surging living costs, a housing crisis and contentious immigration policies have taken their toll. According to the Angus Reid Institute, His approval rating hit a historic low of 22% in December – a stark contrast to his early years in office. For over a year, the Liberals have been experiencing a polling freefall, with their support fast dwindling to a dismal 16% among decided voters, while the Conservatives have shown an imposing surge to 45%.
Trudeau’s departure denotes not only the end of the era for the Liberals but also a moment of self-appraisal for the party at a crossroads, desperately trying to salvage its fortunes in the face of aggravating public discontent and political uncertainty.
