Staff Reports
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the poster child for “What Could Go Wrong?” in leadership, has announced his resignation this week, leaving his Liberal Party in chaos. His decision was akin to a captain abandoning ship right before it hits the iceberg—too little, too late, and now everyone else is trying to figure out who’s steering the life raft while their wallets are being drained by inflation. Trudeau’s resignation will not take immediate effect, as he is sticking around like a bad smell until his replacement is chosen by fellow Liberals, likely in late March.
The frontrunner to take his place seems to be Minister of Transport Anita Anand, who is described as Canadian-born of Indian descent. With an impressive academic background and experience under her belt, she may seem to fit the mold of a traditional candidate. However, her track record during the COVID-19 pandemic, which included years of funding questionable schemes, calls into question just how “prepared” she really is to take on the top job. The communist-leaning policies of her party likely won’t play well in a country that’s waking up to the realities of runaway government spending.
New! 🚨
Canadian media is reporting that PM Justin Trudeau will likely resign this week.
The man most likely to replace him is the wonderfully articulate Pierre Poilievre.
This video tells me everything I need to know about him.pic.twitter.com/3YTqOhrShS
— Yehuda Teitelbaum (@chalavyishmael) January 6, 2025
Despite Anand’s current standing, she isn’t the only name floating around in the Liberal leadership buzz. Former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is also in contention. Her close ties to the outgoing Trudeau and her public history of conflict with former U.S. President Trump may prove to be red flags that Canadian voters won’t overlook. It’s safe to say that a leader closely linked to the very policies that tanked Trudeau’s popularity might not be the best choice for the party hoping to regain a shred of credibility.
Another possible contender is Mark Carney, who currently calls the Bank of England home, though Trudeau’s shadow looms large over him as well. Then there’s Dominic LeBlanc, the new finance minister with a lifelong friendship with Trudeau. At this rate, one might as well just retire the Liberal Party and rename it the Trudeau Family Reunion. The Liberal Party is clearly a house divided as it searches for any glimmer of hope to fend off the inevitable comeback of the Conservative Party, which is currently frothing at the mouth for a majority victory.
Throughout this leadership scramble, Trudeau’s political demise hasn’t gone unnoticed. Reports indicate his approval ratings plummeted faster than a hockey puck at a playoff game, largely due to soaring inflation and an increasingly restless electorate. Moreover, Trudeau’s forced hiatus of Parliament until the end of March reeks of desperation, a calculated move to avoid a no-confidence vote—an act that would seal his fate once and for all. Meanwhile, the opposition Conservatives are just waiting in the wings, poised to regain control in elections scheduled for October, if they don’t swoop in earlier thanks to the Liberal mess.
As the Liberal Party gears up to pull the trigger on selecting a new leader, the process they’ve laid out seems more like a game of musical chairs than a solid plan to win back the hearts of Canadians. Candidates will have to prove their worthiness through a tiered elimination setup, with every round feeling like a reality show no one asked to watch. While the Liberal ship sinks, Conservatives are likely to be eyeing the remnants of what was once a dominant party, ready to navigate Canada back to solid ground.
