۴ý

Politics

    • PM Trudeau doesn't think his leadership is in danger, as ministers voice confidence in him a day before key Liberal meeting

    Share

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he doesn't think his leadership is in danger, one day before a highly anticipated caucus meeting where his future at the helm of the Liberal party is expected to be up for discussion.

    Asked directly on his way into Tuesday's cabinet meeting whether he was worried about his fate, Trudeau offered a quick "no," and kept walking.

    Around an hour later, ministers started trickling into the room, telling reporters on their way in that they still have his back.

    "I absolutely support the prime minister," said Justice Minister Arif Virani.

    "The entire cabinet, and myself for sure, are 100 per cent behind the prime minister, who's led this country through difficult times in the past few years," said Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge.

    "I think it's time for caucus and for us all to really think about Canadians," St-Onge said. "It's also a good time for us to get ready for the next election." 

    Housing Minister Sean Fraser and several others also voiced support.

    "I'm a member of his cabinet. Obviously, we support him. I think the work that we're trying to do to help Canadians is really the main focus right now," Fraser said.

    Tuesday's cabinet confab was the first time Trudeau's ministers have convened since four members of the prime minister's front bench announced they won't be running again, setting the stage for an impending shuffle. It turned into an unusually long meeting.

    Later, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters that she is "more confident" than ever, based on conversations she's had over the past 36 hours, that "the vast majority of Liberal MPs support the prime minister" as the one to lead the party into the next election.

    The united front also comes just ahead of Wednesday's Liberal caucus meeting, where sources have told ۴ý that a group of Liberal MPs who have been organizing in favour of a leadership change before the next election, .

    What to expect at Liberal caucus?

    Trudeau has been facing calls from individuals affiliated with the party to step aside for months – with frustrations buoyed by a pair of byelection losses in Toronto and Montreal – but this latest push is the most direct pressure, as it's coming from elected members of Parliament.

    It's been reported that as many as 30 Liberal backbenchers are involved in the effort to encourage Trudeau's ouster, or at least a reconsideration of his future. Though, uncertainty remains about how many MPs are involved, and who they are.

    On Monday, longtime Liberal MP Sean Casey became the first to publicly confirm he has signed a letter asking for Trudeau to resign, but he would not say how many of his colleagues have done the same.

    Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said while he respects Casey, he doesn't think his perspective is shared by the majority of Trudeau's caucus.

    "The Liberal party is a big tent. We have robust conversations, as we will in caucus," Wilkinson said. "At this point in time, clearly in the public opinion polls, we are not leading. There is concern on the part of members of caucus, it's important we have that conversation."

    Ministers tout 'big tent'

    Some ministers said their caucus colleagues should stay focused on serving Canadians and drawing contrast with their Conservative opponent, whom they've been trailing in the polls for more than a year.

    "Any minute spent on this garbage is a minute that's not spent on Pierre Poilievre and what he wants to do to this country," Immigration Minister Marc Miller said.

    Others said that the dissent within the ranks, and the coming debate over the party's direction, is a sign of a healthy caucus where differing views can be expressed.

    "He's always had my back, I have his and completely support him," Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth of Canada Marci Ien said, adding that she still thinks the Liberals can still "absolutely" win the next election with Trudeau at the helm.

    "This is a large tent … and people are entitled to their opinions, but I just gave in mine, and mine is that I support him," Ien said.

    Health Minister Mark Holland said he doesn't think it's a bad thing for there to be differing views and believes Trudeau still has the backing of "most" of his colleagues.

    "I think it's a sign of a strong democratic caucus," Holland said.

    "I'm comfortable with difficult conversations, or else I wouldn't be doing this nine years later. That's just part of politics," Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said.

    While some MPs have said they haven't yet seen the circulating letter asking the prime minister to step aside, many expressed the sentiment that what happens in caucus is intended to stay there, and they plan to hold their peace until they get behind closed doors.

    "I have not seen the letter and I have not signed the letter, full stop," Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages Randy Boissonnault said. "It's a moment where caucus is going to express itself, the prime minister is going to listen, and we're going to get through this as a team."

    Conservatives pressure PM over revolt

    Today, a former Conservative leader who faced an internal caucus revolt at the tail end of his time at the top said it's time for Trudeau to step down or call an election.

    "The prime minister should move on," Erin O'Toole said. "He can be proud of some of the things he's done, but now I think he is a distraction for the national debate, for his own caucus, so it's a tough decision."

    The Liberal caucus drama comes as work inside the House of Commons is still at a standstill over a procedural battle for unredacted documents.

    Pressing the issue further in question period, Poilievre accused Trudeau of being unable to "administer the government because he's too busy fighting for his job."

    All of this is keeping speculation alive that the prime minister could prorogue Parliament.

    Nanos Research chief data scientist Nik Nanos told ۴ý on Tuesday that it will take "a massive change" to turn Liberal fortunes around at this stage.

    "Every government has a best before date, and I think it's going to be difficult. The reality is, a Liberal house divided cannot win an election," Nanos said.

    With files from ۴ý' Spencer Van Dyk

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.

    At least seven large-scale butter thefts have been reported in Guelph, Ont. over a 10-month period, including two hauls in just the last month.

    Quebec Premier Francois Legault promised on Tuesday to toughen secularism measures in schools, saying he was 'shocked' by revelations about a Montreal public school where a group of teachers had tried to introduce what the premier described as 'Islamist' beliefs.

    Canada

    • A Superior Court justice in Milton has been ordered to participate in coaching from a more senior judge after the Canadian Judicial Council found that his tone was 'abusive and intimidating' during a family court hearing last September.

    • Quebec Premier Francois Legault promised on Tuesday to toughen secularism measures in schools, saying he was 'shocked' by revelations about a Montreal public school where a group of teachers had tried to introduce what the premier described as 'Islamist' beliefs.

    • Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.

    • Former volunteers with Eastern Ontario Cats (EOC) are working to track cats they say are either dead or missing after allegations of abuse, neglect and falsified medical records surfaced in recent months.

    • The Quebec government wants to hear Quebecers' thoughts about scrapping the twice-yearly time change, but it isn't promising to act on them.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

    A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

    A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

    Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

    Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

    The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that – and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

    A Moncton, N.B., home has been donated to the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation and will be transformed into a resource hub for people living with cancer.

    A Nova Scotia man crossing Canada on foot is passing through southwestern Ontario. Trevor Redmond is perhaps better known as the ‘Fellow in Yellow.’

    • A Vancouver couple who live across the street from McBride Park on the city's west side say they repeatedly told the city a tree on the southern edge of the park posed a danger – but nothing was done.

    • The search for a man who went missing amid last weekend’s atmospheric river in Coquitlam, B.C., has entered its third day.

    • Mounties in British Columbia say a second person has been found dead after two vehicles ended up in a river on Vancouver Island when a road washed out amid torrential rains over the weekend.

    • TTC staff are recommending that the transit service ban lithium-ion-powered mobility devices like e-scooters and e-bikes through the winter months due to the risk of fire in adverse conditions such as salty roads.

    • Police have released video footage of a recent home invasion in Richmond Hill as they search for three outstanding suspects who they say may have returned to the residence the following day to take another vehicle.

    • A multi-vehicle collision on the Toronto-bound QEW has shut down all but one lane of traffic during rush hour on Tuesday, says the OPP.

    • A new study suggests the Government of Alberta purposely pushed false narratives around public safety to scale down safe supply in the province.

    • An electrical grid alert was issued throughout Alberta on Tuesday morning as temperatures cooled.

    • Police have identified the victim of a deadly shooting late last week in northeast Calgary.

    • Memorials and tributes are taking place across Ottawa on Tuesday to remember Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, an honour guard stationed at the National War Memorial, killed 10 years ago today.

    • Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    • Quebec Premier Francois Legault promised on Tuesday to toughen secularism measures in schools, saying he was 'shocked' by revelations about a Montreal public school where a group of teachers had tried to introduce what the premier described as 'Islamist' beliefs.

    • The Quebec government wants to hear Quebecers' thoughts about scrapping the twice-yearly time change, but it isn't promising to act on them.

    • A Montreal borough and Muslim leader are pushing back against the head of the Parti Québécois after he accused a local library of promoting a "religious invasion" by posting a photo of a young girl wearing a hijab for a storytime event.

    • Police are looking for a man and a woman who robbed an Edmonton jewelry store earlier this month.

    • A change of usual blueline sides? That's all right with Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse.

    • Epcor says it has begun treating an Edmonton stormwater pond to remove invasive goldfish.

    • Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.

    • A member of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party is crossing the floor and joining the Progressive Conservatives.

    • Communities east of Alberta set record high temperatures for an Oct. 21 while Alberta itself contended with the first snowfall of the season in some areas.

    • The Manitoba government is restoring the 1:1 apprentice-to-journeyperson ratio.

    • A number of Manitoba communities kicked off the week by breaking decades-old heat records.

    • Brandon police are looking to find the owners of a small litter of puppies found abandoned in the city on Tuesday.

    • Saskatchewan's Conflict of Interest Commissioner (COIC) has found that former Saskatchewan Party MLA Gary Grewal violated legislative rules by profiting from hotels while they were party to government contracts.

    • Two holes found in the window of a Saskatchewan Party campaign office were not caused by a gun, Regina police have reported.

    • Hundreds of voter information cards have landed in the wrong hands.

    • No one was hurt after playground equipment went up in flames at a Kitchener, Ont. park.

    • At least seven large-scale butter thefts have been reported in Guelph, Ont. over a 10-month period, including two hauls in just the last month.

    • Videos of a meteor shower seen across southwestern Ontario have been popping up across social media since Monday night.

    • A Saskatoon family is voicing concerns after paying twice as much PST as expected on a recently purchased truck.

    • Hundreds of voter information cards have landed in the wrong hands.

    • A city planning document for the Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT) sparked controversy over the weekend, with three civic election candidates alleging Confederation Mall was at risk of being demolished and replaced with dense housing.

    • Now that the jury has begun deliberating in the Sudbury murder trial of Felicity Altiman, here are some of the interesting courtroom moments they didn't get to hear.

    • After operating for 51 years, General Motors has announced it is closing the Kapuskasing Proving Ground, a facility the automaker used to test the durability of its vehicles in cold weather.

    • Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.

    • A father and his two children who suffered severe burns in a Springfield, Ont. house fire have undergone surgery.

    • A meteor lit up our region's sky last night – with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    • On the stand of a London courthouse on Tuesday, Rachel Johnson described how a fun bush bash birthday party on July 30, 2021 turned deadly.

    • Emergency crews rushed to the scene of a serious collision in Barrie’s south end involving a passenger vehicle and a motorcycle.

    • Police laid two dozen charges in connection with a month-long investigation into a criminal auto theft enterprise.

    • A woman who alleges a Canadian soldier sexually assaulted her while at Canadian Forces Base Borden in 2018 came under fire by the accused’s defence lawyer in a Barrie courtroom on Tuesday.

    • ‘Vampire Zombies…from Space!’ and ‘Thundersnake’, two films that are showing at the Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF), were both shot across the city and in the County of Essex.

    • Before the Town of Essex adopts it's new Master Plan for Land Use, staff will work to identify best proper use for future developments across the municipality.

    • NextStar Energy is celebrating the official start of battery module production.

    • Mounties in British Columbia say a second person has been found dead after two vehicles ended up in a river on Vancouver Island when a road washed out amid torrential rains over the weekend.

    • With the B.C. election too close to call, Dr. Bonnie Henry was asked Tuesday how she feels about the possibility of a party that has repeatedly called for her firing forming government.

    • The B.C. Greens say Sonia Furstenau will be staying on as party leader, despite losing her seat in the legislature in Saturday's provincial election.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • The health of honeybees will be the focus of a presentation at the University of Lethbridge on Wednesday evening.

    • Lethbridge police are advising the public of officer training on Tuesday that will happen in two different venues throughout the day.

    • Calgary scored three times in the first, and three times in the third as the Hitmen defeated the Lethbridge Hurricanes 6-1 Saturday at the Saddledome.

    • Rallies by a group called Voices Against Violence took place across the country on Monday, including Sault Ste. Marie.

    • An Indigenous group in northwestern Ontario shut down the highway for a couple of hours Monday morning in protest after ancestral remains were found at a construction site.

    • The owners of 73 vacant properties in the Sault have been fined for violations of the city's vacant properties bylaw, including 33 owned by a firm going through a high-profile insolvency process.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow ۴ý