Liberal MP Who Called For Trudeau Leadership Review Walks Back Comments

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers remarks during a housing announcement in Ajax, Ont., on Nov., 30, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov)

By Matthew Horwood

Matthew Horwood

Matthew Horwood is a reporter based in Ottawa.

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January 25, 2024Updated: January 25, 2024

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A day after calling for a leadership review of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Liberal MP Ken McDonald has walked back his comments, saying it wasn’t his intention to suggest a formal review.

“The intent of my recent public comments was not to personally call for a leadership review, and I am not calling for one now,” McDonald said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times on Jan. 25.

“As I said, I believe that the prime minister is a smart politician, a great campaigner, and I know he still has the best interests of Canadians at heart. I will continue to support my caucus colleagues and the prime minister as I’ve done since 2015.”

Mr. McDonald told CBC Radio-Canada on Jan. 24 that the party should “clear the air” and “give people the opportunity to have their say in what they think [of] the direction the party is going.”

The Newfoundland MP said in the interview that while he largely attributed his 2015 electoral victory to Mr. Trudeau becoming prime minister, he questioned if his leader was now causing harm to the party.

“I think Atlantic Canada is much the same as the rest of the country. There’s almost a hatred out there right now for Prime Minister Trudeau,” he said. “People are thinking maybe it’s time for a change. I tell everybody: every leader, every party has a best-before date. Our best-before date is here.”

Liberal whip Ruby Sahota told Global News on Jan. 25 that she spoke with Mr. McDonald after his previous comments, but would not say whether she told him to renounce those comments and walk back his call for a leadership review.

Mr. McDonald made headlines for defying his own party last October when he broke ranks and voted in favour of a Conservative motion to scrap the federal government’s carbon tax. Following that vote, Mr. McDonald told reporters the policy is hurting rural Canadians already struggling with the cost of living crisis, and harming the Liberals’ chances of being re-elected.

Later in November 2023, Mr. McDonald did not vote in favour of a similar Tory motion to scrap the carbon tax. This came after the Liberal government announced it would implement a three-year carbon tax exemption for home heating oil and increase subsidies for electric heat pumps; a response to Liberal MPs in Atlantic ridings voicing concern on behalf of their constituents.

The Liberal Party is currently struggling in the polls, with the latest survey from Angus Reid showing that they have the support of just 24 percent of Canadians, while the NDP has 20 percent support. The Conservatives top the polls with 41 percent support. Sixty-four percent of those polled said they disapprove of Mr. Trudeau as leader.

Despite his dwindling support, Mr. Trudeau said in a year-end interview with CBC News that he has no plans to resign.

“I am not giving up on the progressive vision of progress that we have been fighting for every single day over the past years,” he said.