Trudeau: Now's the Time to Be 'Ambitious'

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he's reflecting on next steps following the resignation of deputy Chrystia Freeland and public calls for his own resignation, including from some in his Liberal party, which has suffered a series of byelection losses. With parliament now adjourned until Jan. 27, Trudeau has some time to consider his options, per the CBC. Still, the pressure is on. The opposition Conservative Party, with a double-digit lead in opinion polls, has repeatedly tabled no-confidence votes in the House of Commons, hoping to oust Trudeau's Liberals, reports the BBC. If a government loses a non-confidence vote, it's expected to resign or move to dissolve parliament, triggering a federal election.

Trudeau, whose Liberals are 17 seats shy of a majority, has managed to survive with support from the New Democratic Party (NDP) or the Bloc Québécois, in exchange for advancements of their own political priorities. But that support appears to be evaporating. Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet on Tuesday urged Trudeau to call an election by the end of January, per CTV News. A day earlier, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh joined 13 of 153 Liberals MPs in calling for Trudeau's resignation, per the BBC. He also said NDP members would indicate they had lost confidence in the prime minister if another no-confidence vote is called next year.

Trudeau could escape the vote by terminating the parliamentary session, buying him some time. He could also resign, triggering "a Liberal leadership race that Freeland could join," per Reuters. However, there's been no indication Trudeau plans to do so, even as some of his MPs demand a new direction. Rather, he's repeatedly indicated he will lead the Liberals through another federal election, which will take place next October at the latest. Under Liberal rules, members can formally vote on a leader's position only after an election loss. It's unclear what Trudeau is thinking, but he suggested Tuesday that the Liberals would "find our way through" the mess, per Reuters. "In difficult times, it's not time to stop. It's time to be ambitious, audacious," he added, per the BBC. (More Justin Trudeau stories.)