'Wish him all the best': Trudeau dismisses Liberal loyalist saying party would benefit from new leader
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has dismissed a long-time Liberal and current senator's suggestion that it may be time he steps down to make room for a new Liberal party leader.
This week, Sen. Percy Downe went public with his views amid a downward trend in the polls, economic unease and rumour mills churning about potential Liberal leadership contenders readying to replace him.
In a radio interview on The Vassy Kapelos Show Thursday, Downe said he's hearing from "many members of the caucus" who are concerned and consider the time between now and February as critical for the party to conduct some internal soul-searching about the best path forward.
"It's quite widespread," Downe said. When asked why no other Liberals have said publicly what he claims they've communicated privately, the senator said they can't for a range of reasons, including the fact that the party leader signs their nomination forms.
"It's very difficult for them to do that and not see their careers go down in flames," Downe said. "I would like to hear Mr. Trudeau address the concerns in the party publicly."
Asked to comment on this chatter, on his way in to question period, the prime minister became animated.
"Oh Percy, yeah. How's he doing?" Trudeau asked, to which a reporter indicated that he wants the prime minister to quit.
"Oh well, 鈥 I wish him all the best in the work that he's doing," the prime minister said, with a grin on his face.
Trudeau has repeatedly reaffirmed his plans to stay on and lead the Liberal party into the next federal election, campaigning against Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Downe has been in the upper chamber since 2003, and was dropped alongside all Liberal senators from the Liberal caucus by Trudeau in 2014. He previously worked as former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien's chief of staff.
The senator first made his case in an op-ed published by The Hill Times on Monday that was then re-posted on news aggregator on Wednesday.
"There's a very strong feeling in the Liberal party that Pierre can be defeated. The question is, is a change of leadership required to do that or not?" he told Kapelos, while noting the Liberal party owes Justin Trudeau a "tremendous debt of gratitude," for pulling them from third to first place and maintaining government for eight years.
"But there's a sense in the party 鈥 that there should be a discussion about where the party is going. And that discussion should be over the next 16 weeks, in case Justin decides not to run again, there will be time for a leadership and a new leader to step forward."
Asked by reporters after question period what he made of Downe's comments and whether he thinks the prime minister can bounce back, long-time Trudeau ally and Liberal cabinet minister Seamus O'Regan said "absolutely."
"Governments fluctuate鈥. you don't lose faith. No. All this talk," he said. "The job's not vacant."
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government鈥檚 three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party鈥檚 popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn鈥檛 be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
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
The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.
Montreal police say a business in the city's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood was hit with Molotov cocktails two nights in a row.
Keanu Reeves spins out at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in pro auto racing debut
Hollywood star Keanu Reeves made his professional auto racing debut on Saturday in an event in which 'The Matrix' star spun out at famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Frequent drinking of fizzy beverages and fruit juice are linked to an increased risk of stroke: research
New data raises questions about the drinks people consume and the potential risks associated with them, according to researchers at Galway University in Ireland, in partnership with Hamilton鈥檚 McMaster University.
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.
Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'
New data shows the automated speed enforcement camera on King Edward Avenue, between Bolton Street and St. Patrick Street, issued 6,337 speeding tickets in August, the highest number of tickets issued by Ottawa's 40 photo radar cameras.
Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.
Fluoride in drinking water poses enough risk to merit new EPA action, judge says
A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children.
Local Spotlight
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.
A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.
The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.
A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.
Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north
What does New Westminster's t蓹m蓹sew虛tx史 Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.
The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.
New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.