Justin Trudeau resigns as Liberal Party leader, set to step down as Canada's PM

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation on Monday amid rising discontent over his leadership and following the sudden departure of his finance minister which signalled growing turmoil within his governmentTrudeau stated that it had become clear to him that he could not be the leader during the next elections due to internal battles He confirmed that he would remain in office as prime minister until a new leader of the Liberal Party is selectedI donrsquot easily back down faced with a fight especially a very important one for our party and the country But I do this job because the interests of Canadians and the wellbeing of democracy is something that I hold dear Trudeau saidHe also announced that the Parliament which was scheduled to resume on January 27 would now be suspended until March 24 to allow time for the Liberal Party leadership race to unfold news agency AP reportedAll the three main opposition parties have indicated plans to topple the Liberal Party in a noconfidence vote when Parliament resumes AP reportedThe Liberal Party of Canada is an important institution in the history of our great country and democracy A new prime minister and leader of the Liberal Party will carry its values and ideals into that next election Trudeau said I am excited to see that process unfold in the months aheadJustin Trudeau had become PM in 2015Trudeau 53 became prime minister in 2015 after a decade of Conservative Party rule Initially hailed for returning Canada to its liberal roots his popularity has since plummeted due to several issues including soaring costs for food and housing and increasing immigrationThe timing of the resignation is particularly critical for Canada on the international stage as US Presidentelect Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods unless Ottawa addresses what he describes as a flow of migrants and drugs into the USDespite increasing pressure for him to step down Trudeau had remained publicly silent in recent weeksThe resignation of Canadas former finance minister Chrystia Freeland on December 16 added to the turmoil Freeland criticised some of Trudeaus economic policies especially in light of Trumps threats Her resignation which followed that of the housing minister raised questions about how long Trudeau could maintain his positionFreeland and Trudeau had disagreed over two policies a temporary sales tax holiday on items such as childrens clothes and beer and plans to send every citizen a check for 250 Canadian dollars Freeland who was also deputy prime minister said Canada could not afford costly political gimmicks with the looming tariff threatOur country is facing a grave challenge Freeland wrote in her resignation letter That means keeping our fiscal powder dry today so we have the reserves we may need for a coming tariff warFather Pierre Trudeau had led Canada for around 16 years from 1968Despite the rising discontent within the Liberal Party Justin Trudeau had planned to run for a fourth term in the upcoming election However recent defeats in special elections in Toronto and Montreal raised doubts over his chances No Canadian prime minister has won four consecutive terms in over a centuryRecent polling suggests Trudeaursquos chances are slim with the Liberals trailing the Conservatives 47 per cent to 21 per cent in a latest surveyOver the course of his tenure Justin Trudeau embraced policies favoured by his liberal base including advocating for immigration championing diversity and gender equality and legalising cannabis However his efforts to balance economic growth with environmental protection such as levying a carbon emissions tax and advancing a controversial pipeline expansion project were criticised from both the left and the rightWhile Canada fared relatively well during the COVID19 pandemic with fewer deaths than in many other countries Trudeaus governments handling of vaccine mandates sparked significant opposition The combination of scandals and unpopular policies has eroded his support over time with his political legacy now overshadowed by a turbulent period in Canadian politicsTrudeaursquos father Pierre led Canada for almost 16 years after sweeping to power in 1968 His legacy remains central to the countryrsquos history as Pierre is recognised in the US for his progressive stance on immigrationJustin Trudeau the secondyoungest prime minister in Canadian history came to office in a sweeping victory in 2015 despite initial doubts about his youth and experience He has three children with his estranged wife a former model and TV hostWith AP inputs