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Trudeau to face fretful caucus retreat in B.C. ahead of return to the House

Resignation of national campaign director only latest in series of blows party has taken recently
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau answers reporters questions following an announcement in Rocky Harbour, Nfld., on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will face a fretful and strained caucus in British Columbia Monday, with MPs looking for him to finally reveal his plan to address the political purgatory the party has endured for months.

Several Liberal MPs privately and publicly demanded they meet as a team after the devastating byelection loss of a longtime political stronghold in Toronto last June, but the prime minister refused to convene his caucus before the fall.

Their political fortunes did not improve over the summer, and this week the Liberals took two more significant blows: the abrupt departure of the NDP from the political pact that prevented an early election, and the resignation of the LiberalsB次元官网网址 national campaign director.

Now, with two more byelections looming on Sept. 16 and a general election sometime in the next year, several caucus members who are still not comfortable speaking publicly told The Canadian Press theyB次元官网网址檙e anxiously awaiting a game plan from the prime minister and his advisers that will help them save their seats.

The Liberals have floundered in the polls for more than a year now as Pierre PoilievreB次元官网网址檚 Conservatives have capitalized on countrywide concerns about inflation, the cost of living and lack of available housing.

Though Trudeau hasnB次元官网网址檛 yet addressed all of his MPs en masse, he has spoken with them in groups throughout June and July and stopped in on several regional caucus meetings ahead of the Nanaimo retreat.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e focused on delivering for Canadians,B次元官网网址 Trudeau said at a Quebec Liberal caucus meeting Thursday.

He listed several programs in the works, including a national school food program and $10-a-day childcare, as well as national coverage for insulin and contraceptives, which the Liberals developed in partnership with the NDP.

B次元官网网址淭hese are things that matter for Canadians,B次元官网网址 he said, before he accused the NDP of focusing on politics while the Liberals are B次元官网网址渇ocused on Canadians.B次元官网网址

Wayne Long, a Liberal MP representing a New Brunswick riding, says the problem is that Canadians appear to have tuned the prime minister out.

Long was the only Liberal member to publicly call for TrudeauB次元官网网址檚 resignation in the aftermath of the Toronto-St. PaulB次元官网网址檚 byelection loss, though several other MPs expressed the same sentiment privately at the time.

Long shared his views with the prime minister again at the Atlantic caucus retreat ahead of MondayB次元官网网址檚 meeting.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really worried the old B次元官网网址榮tay calm and carry on,B次元官网网址 which effectively is where we are, is not going to put us on a road to victory in the next election,B次元官网网址 said Long, who does not plan to run again.

B次元官网网址淚f weB次元官网网址檙e going to mount a campaign that can beat Pierre Poilievre, in my opinion that campaign cannot be led by Justin Trudeau.B次元官网网址

Long fears a Trudeau campaign could lead to a Poilievre government that dismantles the prime ministerB次元官网网址檚 nine-year legacy, piece by piece.

Long is one of several Liberal MPs who confirmed to The Canadian Press they do not plan to go the meeting in Nanaimo. But Mark Carney, the Bank of Canada governor whose name is routinely dropped around Ottawa as a possible successor to Trudeau as Liberal leader, will be in attendance.

HeB次元官网网址檚 expected to address MPs about the economy and a plan for growth.

NDP Leader Jagmeet SinghB次元官网网址檚 decision to back out of the supply and confidence deal certainly complicates any calls for the prime minister to step aside and allow a new leader to face off against Pierre Poilievre in the next election, since that election could now come at any time.

B次元官网网址淚t makes a much more precarious situation, because Singh probably holds the keys to when that election could be,B次元官网网址 said Andrew Perez, a longtime Liberal with Perez Strategies, who also called for TrudeauB次元官网网址檚 resignation earlier this summer.

B次元官网网址淢aybe it presents an argument for the pro-Trudeau side to say that we need to stick with Trudeau, because thereB次元官网网址檚 no time.B次元官网网址

But while some caucus members describe feeling frustrated by the political tribulation, Long insists that those who are running again arenB次元官网网址檛 yet feeling defeated.

Speaking about those in the Atlantic caucus, he said B次元官网网址渢o a person, theyB次元官网网址檙e ready to fight. TheyB次元官网网址檙e theyB次元官网网址檙e ready to go.B次元官网网址

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Laura Osman, The Canadian Press

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