Canadian PM Justin Trudeau could resign within days, reports say

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could resign within days amidst a crisis in his government and low polling ratings, media reports suggest.

The Globe and Mail said Trudeau may announce he plans to step down before he meets his party caucus on Wednesday, with their sources saying it was unclear if he would stay on in the interim or resign with immediate effect.

Trudeau has been grappling with his leadership following the shock resignation of his Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.

Freeland, one of his most powerful and loyal ministers, disagreed with Trudeau on how to best deal with US President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose harsh tariffs on Canadian goods.

Several of Trudeau’s own MPs have called for him to step down. His popularity with the Canadian public has also fallen, with the latest polls suggesting that his Liberal party would face election defeat when Canadians head to the polls this year.

A September Ipsos poll showed that only 26% of respondents said that Trudeau would be their choice for prime minister, far behind his Conservative party rival.

An election is due to take place before October this year, but Trudeau’s potential resignation could lead to calls for a snap election.

Trudeau first rose to power in 2015, leading his party from third to first place in an unexpected victory. He promised a platform of open immigration, battling climate change and increased taxes on the wealthy.

His tenure has since been marred by several political scandals, including the resignation of his then-Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould. In 2019, his re-election campaign was tarnished by released images of him as a younger man wearing brown face makeup on several occasions.

Despite these setbacks, Trudeau has held onto power for nine years making him the longest-serving leader out of those in the G7.

More recently, he has struggled to remain popular with the public, who are frustrated with the growing cost of living.

His replacement will have to deal with Trump’s tariff threats. The president-elect, who will assume power in January, has promised to levy 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico in an effort to combat illegal migration and the fetanyl crisis in the US.

Economists have warned such tariffs would hurt the Canadian economy significantly.