A day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced more than two dozen MPs who had been calling on him to step aside, he made it clear he intends to lead the Liberals into the next election.
It’s a move that at least one member of his caucus is calling “disappointing.”
“We’re going to continue to have great conversations about what is the best way to take on Pierre Poilievre in the next election,” he told reporters. “But that will happen with me as leader going into the next election.”
Asked directly if he would stay on after the Oct. 28 date some caucus members had reportedly asked for a clear answer by, the prime minister responded with just one word: “Yes.”
The prime minister was also asked if he would kick anyone out of caucus if dissent about his leadership continues. He said they have had “robust conversations” on how to move forward.
Liberal MP Sean Casey, who was one of three members of caucus who confirmed that they signed the document calling for the prime minister to resign, said Trudeau’s announcement that he will stay on as leader just hours after members voiced their discontent is “disappointing.”
“I don’t think that he felt that he needed to reflect, consolidate. His mind was made up,” Casey said.
Casey says he’s now putting the issue behind him.
“I did my job by voicing what I was hearing from my constituents. Now it’s going to take my energy and to direct them to winning my seat and not on internal party matters. As far as I’m concerned, it’s closed,” he said.
The Charlottetown MP added that it’s ultimately the prime minister’s choice to make, but he doesn’t see the decision paying off.
“I wouldn’t call it delusional, but he’s seeing something that I don’t see, that my constituents don’t see,” Casey said. He added that while he disagrees with the prime minister, he agrees that Poilievre government would be the worst outcome and urged his colleagues not to vote or campaign against the current government.
Trudeau’s comments came after he met with his caucus on Wednesday, where some party members urged him to step down amid the party’s lagging in the polls and two recent byelection losses in former Liberal strongholds.
Between 20 and 30 MP had signed an internal document calling on him to step down as leader, sources had told Global News, with those same members airing their concerns to Trudeau during the meeting.
Following that meeting, several MPs came out saying the party was united, but did not provide details on what exactly happened behind closed doors. Trudeau also told reporters as he left caucus that it was “strong and united.”
— with files from Global News’ Mackenzie Gray, David Akin and Jillian Piper, and The Canadian Press