Justin Trudeau Resignation LIVE Updates: Canada PM says he will step down after new Liberal Party leader is announced

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau Resignation LIVE Updates: Trudeau, 53, took office in November 2015, making him one of Canada's longest-serving prime ministers.

Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau makes an announcement outside Rideau Cottage in Ottawa. (AP)

Justin Trudeau Resignation LIVE Updates: After over nine years in office, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that he will step down as the leader of the ruling Liberal Party in Canada. He added that he will continue as the PM until the party names a replacement through a “robust, nationwide, competitive process.”

Announcing his plans of stepping down at a press conference in Ottawa, Trudeau said, “I intend to resign as party leader as prime minister after the party selects its next leader through a robust, nationwide competitive process. This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I’m having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election.”

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Trudeau, 53, took office in November 2015, making him one of Canada’s longest-serving prime ministers. However, his popularity has been on the decline for the last two years, in large part due to public anger over inflation and a housing crisis. According to news agency AP, recent polls have shown the Liberals suffering a bad electoral loss to the official opposition Conservatives in the next election, slated to be held by late October this year.

Live Updates

12:14 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: What did Trudeau say when asked about not calling election?

During his announcement to step down as the leader of the Liberal Party and prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau was asked by reporters why wasn't he calling an election, to which he replied that parliament has been “seized by obstruction, filibustering and a total lack of productivity".

Stating that it was time for a reset, Trudeau said "It’s time for the temperature to come down, for the people to have a fresh start in parliament, to be able to navigate through these complex times."

11:57 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: British Columbia's former Premier Christy Clark reacts to Trudeau's resignation, thanks him for his service

British Columbia's former Premier Christy Clark has reacted to the resignation announcement made by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and thanked him for his service to the country.

In a post on X, Clark wrote, "After a lifetime of public service Justin Trudeau has stepped aside as both Leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister of Canada. I want to thank him as a Canadian for his service to the country that he so clearly loves. I wish him and his family well."

Clark, who served as premier from 2011-17, had earlier said that she would be interested in running for the leadership role of Liberal Party if Trudeau were to resign.

In the post on X, Clark added "As a lifelong Liberal I look forward to joining tens of thousands of Canadians to choose our next Leader. This is the biggest opportunity in over a decade that we’ve had to grow our Party and welcome new Liberals - including Canadians concerned about the future of our country - let’s seize it!"

11:45 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre says 'nothing has changed'

In a post on X, the Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre said that “nothing has changed” after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his decision to step down as the leader of Liberal Party.

Nothing has changed.

Every Liberal MP and Leadership contender supported EVERYTHING Trudeau did for 9 years, and now they want to trick voters by swapping in another Liberal face to keep ripping off Canadians for another 4 years, just like Justin.

The only way to fix what… pic.twitter.com/YnNYANTs1y
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) January 6, 2025

09:01 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Liberal Party MP Kody Blois says Trudeau resigned due to Canadian's fatigue with him

A Liberal Party Member of Parliament Kody Blois, who has served since 2019 told the BBC that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had to resign due to the fatigue of Canadian's with him.

Blois recalled Trudeau's over nine years tenure and said that it is a long time in any modern political reality.

"He was in the media and the public eye a lot and a lot of my constituents - yes they may have certain concerns around policy agenda - but largely I think it just became a bit of fatigue with the Prime Minister himself," Blois said, as quoted by BBC.

08:33 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Trudeau calls out opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, says 'he has very small vision for Canada'

During his speech to announce the decision of stepping down as the leader of the Liberal Party and as prime minister, Justin Trudeau took a dig at the opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and shared his thoughts on him, stating "he has a very small vision for Canada".

Detailing on his view of Pierre, Trudeau said "Pierre Poilievre’s vision for this country is not the right one for Canadians. Stopping the fight against climate change doesn’t make sense."

Trudeau further added, "Backing off on the values and strength in diversity that Canada has always worked to pull itself on is not the right path for the country. Attacking journalists, the CBC, institutions, that is not what Canadians need in this moment," as quoted by AP.

08:27 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Canada's opposition parties plan to topple the Liberal Party led govt

All the three opposition parties in Canada have planned to topple the Liberal Party led government in a no-confidence vote in Parliament as and when it resumed in March.

This comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that he would resign as the leader of the Liberal Party and prorogue the Parliament until March 24 for the party to decide upon a new face.

07:54 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre says Canadians must be relieved on Trudeau's resignation

The Leader of Opposition in Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre, reacted to the developments of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigning and said that Canadians would be relieved by his stepping down.

In a taped message posted by Pierre on X, he said "Canadians desperate to turn the page on this dark chapter in our history might be relieved today that Justin Trudeau is finally leaving."

Targeting the ruling Liberal Party, Pierre further stated "But what has really changed? Every Liberal MP in power today and every potential Liberal leadership contender fighting for the top job helped Justin Trudeau break the country over the last nine years."

07:40 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Canada's ex-Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland responds to Trudeau's resignation, thanks him for years of service

Former Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland has responded to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's resignation and thanked him for the years of service and wished him well.

In a post on X, Freeland wrote "I thank Justin Trudeau for his years of service to Canada and Canadians. I wish him and his family the very best."

Freeland had resigned from Trudeau's cabinet last month as Finance Minister, however, Trudeau in his resignation comments called her “an incredible political partner”.

When asked by reporters what happened between the two leaders, the outgoing prime minister responded saying, "I am not someone who is in the habit of sharing private conversations."

07:20 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: 'Trudeau's resignation was inevitable' says Toronto University's professor

“Most of his caucus wanted him gone,” said Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. “Trudeau’s resignation had an inevitability about it since the party lost by-elections in Toronto and Montreal strongholds, beginning in the summer.”

(AP)

06:44 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Canada's NDP leader Jagmeet Singh says, 'Liberals don't deserve another chance'

Jagmeet Singh, leader of Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP), has reacted to PM Justin Trudeau's resignation and stated that the Liberal Party has let the Canadians down, and he his focusing on the cost of living.

"It doesn’t matter who the next Liberal leader is. They have let you down. They do not deserve another chance," Singh said, reported BBC.

Responding to questions from reporters, Jagmeet Singh said that he would vote against the government if there is any vote of confidence and wants a fresh election to be conducted.

06:30 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Trump renews his offer of making Canada 51st state of US amid Trudeau's resignation

US President-elect Donald Trump has taken a jab at the recent developments in Canada wherein PM Justin Trudeau has announced to step down. Trump suggested Canada should merge with the United States as its 51st State.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote "Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State."

Trump added "If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!"

Earlier, Trump had suggested this idea at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida in December when Trudeau went to meet the president-elect regarding the proposed tariff hike on Canadian goods.

05:59 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: What happens now in Canada after PM Trudeau's resignation?

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepped down on January 6 after leading the country for almost a decade. Trudeau announced that he is stepping down as the leader of the Liberal Party and that he could no longer be the best option for Canada's leadership.

Trudeau recently faced struggle within his party, his policies were heavily criticised, and the opposition Conservative Party's growing lead contributed to his decision making.

What’s next for Canada?

The Liberal Party is now searching for a new leader to guide them into the next election, and till then Trudeau has announced a prorogue for the Parliament until March 24.

Potential replacements for Trudeau includes former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, Transport Minister Anita Anand, Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc among others.

05:44 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Alberta Provinces premier says Trudeau should have called polls to negotiate with Trump

Alberta Province Premier Danielle Smith has said on Monday that Canada's outgoing Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau should have called for an election, in order for the winner to have negotiation prowess with the incoming US President-elect Donald Trump over the issue of tariffs.

05:39 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Liberal Party to convene this week to choose new leader after Trudeau's resignation

The Liberal Party President Sachit Mehra has said in a statement that the party's National Board will convene this week in order to select a new leader of the party.

Sachit Mehra in the statement said, "Liberals across the country are immensely grateful to Justin Trudeau for more than a decade of leadership to our party and the country."

Praising outgoing Prime Minister and leader of the party Justin Trudeau, Sachit said that he made it the "most open and inclusive movement in Canadian politics".

Mehra further added, "We thank him for his service to Canada, and we look forward to his continued leadership until a new leader is chosen," as quoted by BBC.

05:27 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: What is the timeline of Trudeau's major milestone leading to his resignation?

Canadian Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party, Justin Trudeau, announced on January 6 that he is stepping down once his party selects his successor and prorogue the Parliament until March 24.

Here is a timeline of key events charting Trudeau’s political journey:

October 2013 – Wins race to lead Liberal party- Trudeau, son of former Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, assumed leadership of the Liberal Party at a time when it was struggling. The Liberals were in third place in the House of Commons, having been out of power for over seven years.

October 2015 – Leads party to victory in federal election- Trudeau led the Liberals to a majority victory in the 2015 federal election, defeating the Conservatives with a campaign focused on change and hope.

December 2017 – Found guilty of conflict of interest- Canada’s ethics commissioner found Trudeau guilty of breaching conflict-of-interest rules by accepting vacation, gifts, and flights from the Aga Khan in 2016. This marked the first time a sitting prime minister was found guilty of such a violation.

February 2019 – SNC-Lavalin scandal- Trudeau faced accusations of pressuring former Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to intervene in the prosecution of construction firm SNC-Lavalin. The scandal led to resignations within his cabinet. In August 2019, the ethics commissioner ruled that Trudeau had breached ethics rules. He took responsibility but did not apologize.

September 2019 – Blackface scandal erupts ahead of election- In the run-up to the 2019 election, images surfaced showing Trudeau in blackface. The scandal forced him to apologize, acknowledging his “blind spot.”

(Read Full Report)

05:14 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Who is poised to replace JustinTrudeau as the Liberal Party leader?

Post the announcement of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepping down from the leadership of the Liberal Party and the prime ministership, his party needs to find a new face in order to replace Trudeau and take the party forward to compete in a general election.

Here is a list of some probable's to enter the race-

Anita Anand: A lawyer and academic by profession, Anita entered politics in 2019 and won the seat of Oakville for the Liberal Party. She is considered as one of the more ambitious members of the Liberal caucus and serves as the current Transport Minister.

Mark Carney: A former governor of Bank of Canada and Bank of England, Carney is currently the special advisor to Trudeau and a United Nations Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance.

François-Philippe Champagne: A lawyer by profession, Champagne was first elected in 2015 in Quebec and has held the portfolios of international trade, foreign affairs and most recently he is Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, a position he has held since 2021.

Dominic LeBlanc: Recently announced as the Minister of Finance by Justin Trudeau, LeBlanc has been an MP since 2000 for a New Brunswick riding and holds a record for stepping into portfolios at a difficult moment.

04:39 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Canada likely to go for polls as early as March end or April

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, amid announcing his resignation said that until March 24, the Parliament will be prorogue which will allow time for the Liberal Party to choose a new leader and set a stage for confidence vote which means a Spring election campaign in Canada.

While announcing his plans to step down, Trudeau stated "There will be confidence votes in March, passing of supply, that will allow Parliament to weigh in on confidence in a way that is entirely in keeping with all the principles of democracy and the workings of our strong institutions."

The timeline ensures that by March end there would be a confidence vote and if the incoming leader led government gets defeated, then it would trigger a federal election during March end or April first week.

04:16 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: White House reacts to Trudeau's resignation, calls him a 'Stalwart friend'

In an interaction with the media on the Air Force One, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reacted upon the resignation of Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and said that he was a "stalwart" friend of the United States.

As a close ally and a member of G7, US President Joe Biden's administration had worked with Trudeau on a range of issues.

Pierre further said, "The president is grateful for the prime minister's partnership on all of that and for his commitment to defending Norht America from the geopolitical threats of the 21st century and the work we have done together to sustain North America's status as the world's most economically competitive region," as quoted by BBC.

04:09 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: His ratings down, opens a window to reset ties

From New Delhi’s perspective, Trudeau’s time was up and the assessment, going by opinion polls, was that he would have possibly lost the elections after being in office for 10 years — he became the Liberal Party’s leader in 2013 and PM in 2015.

Trudeau is seen as someone who has taken a "scorched earth policy" in terms of India-Canada ties, especially after his allegation in September 2023 that Indian government agents were involved in the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

Delhi has rejected Trudeau's allegations as “absurd” and “politically motivated”, and accused his government of sheltering terrorists.

This has led to a downslide in ties — to unprecedented levels, comparable only to India’s ties with Pakistan and China. Dozens of diplomats have been expelled, including High Commissioners, visas have been impacted, no new project is being implemented, and trade has been crippled in the last year-and-half.

With Trudeau’s departure, some view it as a time and opportunity to repair the damage done in the last year-and-half. Read Full Report

02:09 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Trudeau criticizes opposition leader’s vision for the country

Trudeau criticized opposition leader Pierre Poilievre’s vision for the country, calling it “not the right one for Canadians.”

“Stopping the fight against climate change doesn’t make sense,” Trudeau said during a news conference in Ottawa. “We need an ambitious, optimistic view of the future. And Pierre Poilievre is not offering that.”

(With inputs from CNN)

01:48 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Trudeau says he 'fought for this country'

Justin Trudeau reflected on his near-decade in office, stating he “fought for this country."

“Every morning I’ve woken up as prime minister, I have been inspired by the resilience, generosity and the determination of Canadians,” he told journalists. “I have fought for this country, for you.”

He listed support for Ukraine and his government’s Covid-19 response as key achievements. “We rallied to support each other through the pandemic … to stand strong with Ukraine, and our democracy, to fight climate change, and to get our economy ready for the future,” Trudeau added. “We are at a critical moment in the world.”

(With inputs from CNN)

01:38 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Trudeau announces suspension of Canadian parliament until March 24

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the country’s parliament will be suspended until March 24 while a new leader is selected. “Parliament has been paralyzed for months after what has been the longest session of a minority parliament in Canadian history,” he explained.

“This morning, I advised the Governor General that we need a new session of parliament. She has granted this request, and the House will now be prorogued until March 24,” Trudeau added.

(With inputs from CNN)

01:19 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Trudeau says he has 'one regret'

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed that he has “one regret” as he revealed his plans to resign, referring to the country’s election system. He said, “If I have one regret, particularly as we approach this election — well, probably many regrets that I will think of. But I do wish we’d been able to change the way we elect our governments in this country so that people could simply choose a second choice, or a third choice on the same ballot.”

(With inputs from CNN)

00:55 (IST) 7 Jan 2025

Justin Trudeau Resignation Live: Blanchet calls for general election after Trudeau's successor is chosen

Yves-François Blanchet, leader of the Bloc Québécois, has called for a general election to take place immediately after the Liberals select a successor to Justin Trudeau. In a press conference following Trudeau’s announcement, Blanchet stated:

“There is no viable reason for this government to stay in power any longer than the minimum necessary to designate a new leader. I don’t see any other scenarios.”

He also commended Trudeau for stepping down and expressed his hope that the prime minister would have “many years of happiness and serenity.”