[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Barrister]

Singh has now said Trudeau must resign

But has not called for an election.

[viper37]

Freeland posts her resignation letter to X/Twitter.  It's pretty savage for such things.  It talks about "costly political gimmicks" and "keeping our powder dry".

Also worth noting she was supposed to release the government's "fall" economic update TODAY.

https://x.com/cafreeland/status/1868659332285702167

it does sound more savage in English than in French.  "Keeping our powder dry", "political gimmicks"...  It's not that the chosen words/expressions don't correspond (they do), but either she chose more politically loaded word in English or someone helped her tone down the political rethoric for the French version.

In either version, she is clearly marking her distance with Trudeau though.

She had a choice to make. Either go quietly or take a stand and make a bid for the leadership after Trudeau gets destroyed in the next election.  This was an easy call for her to make.  And it is another illustration of how inept Trudeau is that he did not see it coming.  It seems clear he simply expected her to go quietly when he informed her on Friday she was going to be removed from finance.

Yes, I agree totally.

There's a cabinet meeting still going on apparently and Freeland hasn't minced her words for Trudeau and it's not going well for him.
The mini budget is still under wraps and no decision has been made as if it's going to be announced.

https://x.com/icilouisblouin/status/1868697568554975520

A highly placed Liberal source told us that Freeland went for the jugular of the Prime Minister.  The Cabinet reunion is still going on.

[crazy canuck]

Singh has now said Trudeau must resign

But has not called for an election.

It would be pointless to do so, Trudeau is likely to just prorogue parliament

[Barrister]

Singh has now said Trudeau must resign

But has not called for an election.

It would be pointless to do so, Trudeau is likely to just prorogue parliament

Strenuous disagreement.

NDP support is the only thing propping up the Liberals right now.

Yes, Trudeau could prorogue Parliament - but he really doesn't need to.  Parliament is supposed to take a winter break after tomorrow, and not resume until Jan 27.  That would be one week after Trump's inaugural.

Right now Singh is taking this fairly silly position that 'we need a government to deal with the challenges everyday Canadians are dealing with'.  Which ignores the fact Singh could trigger an election, if not immediately, but pretty quickly.

So it would be one thing if Parliament took it's winter break knowing Trudeau's government is kind-of-secure (because the NDP will support), or is doomed to fail (because the NDP will vote no confidence).  In fact if Singh said the NDP will vote "no confidence" if Trudeau remains as leader it greatly increases the chances Trudeau would resign.  By saying Trudeau should resign, but not threatening an election, it only supports Trudeau staying in power.

[Barrister]

Dominic Leblanc to be new Finance Minister.

So far no announcement cancelling the Economic Update, although it was supposed to 5 minutes ago and no idea who is to give it.

[Barrister]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/fall-economic-update-freeland-trudeau-1.7411825

Economic Update presented by House Leader Karina Gould.  Budget deficit projected to be $61.9 billion for last year, projected to be $48.3 billion this year.  Last year's is due to "one-time charges".

Worth noting:

-both are safely above Freeland's promise in last spring's budget to keep the deficit under $40 billion
-it does not include the promised $250 cheques

[Barrister]

No comment on a $62 billion dollar deficit?

[Grey Fox]

They lost the plot but we've known that for weeks now.

[Neil]

What is there to say about a government that has clearly lost any ability to self-regulate?  They know they're dead in the water, and any chance they had to win an election next year just burned up when the PM burned the bridge with Freeland. 

[crazy canuck]

Going without comment in the press because of the resignation, the Liberals got hammered in the B.C. byelection yesterday. The Conservatives won the seat back with 2/3s of the vote.

[Josephus]

The editorial in todays Toronto Star, one of the most Liberal-supporting papers, is calling for JT to resign

I am now thinking JT won't lead the party in the next election

[HVC]

The editorial in todays Toronto Star, one of the most Liberal-supporting papers, is calling for JT to resign

I am now thinking JT won't lead the party in the next election

Who will be the sacrificial lamb?

[Barrister]

Trump gives Freeland a blast on her way out the door.

"The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau," Trump posted on his site, Truth Social.

"Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!"

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/trump-freeland-post-1.7412270

[Barrister]

So just a little more on Freeland:

You know it would ordinarily be pretty hard for Freeland to separate herself from Trudeau's legacy.  She's been Deputy Prime Minister since 2019, and held senior roles in his government.  In particular as Minister of Finance - it's a little galling to hear her talk about "keeping our powder dry" considering the fact she's been the one spending all that money.

But her resignation letter does manage to put daylight between her and Trudeau.

But it's a tricky spot she's in.  One famous saying is "if you come at the king you best not miss".  Freeland's future within the Liberal Party is finished if Trudeau doesn't resign.  Maybe she can continue to sit as a backbench MP (or it wouldn't shock me if Trudeau kicked her out of caucus entirely), but she's not going to be back in cabinet in any role.

Beyond that though - even if Trudeau does resign, it's rarely the one who knifed the old leader in the back who wins the job. 

[Grey Fox]

She can leave & go do something else while the Liberal wallows for the 8 year cycle of the CPC in government and come back as the anointed leader then.

She can go do work for an international org or even better, join the OnLP after the next Ontario Election and lead those to victory in ~2029.