Liberal backbencher calls on Justin Trudeau to resign as Liberal leader

Liberal MP Sean Casey has publicly urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down as party leader, joining a growing chorus of internal dissent within the Liberal Party.

Speaking on CBC News Network’s Power & Politics, Casey, who represents Charlottetown, said Trudeau’s leadership has become a frequent concern among voters in his riding.

“The message that I've been getting loud and clear — and more and more strongly as time goes by — is that it is time for [Trudeau] to go. And I agree," Casey told host David Cochrane in an exclusive interview Tuesday. "People have had enough. They've tuned him out and they want him to go."

Casey is the first MP to publicly call for Trudeau’s resignation following reports that several Liberal MPs are working behind the scenes to pressure the prime minister to step down. Sources told CBC News that MPs have held meetings to strategize about the party’s future, prompted by the unexpected defeat in the Toronto-St. Paul’s byelection in June.

Although Casey did not participate in these meetings, he acknowledged their existence and expects efforts to remove Trudeau will escalate when Parliament resumes next week. According to sources, at least 20 MPs have signed a pledge to demand Trudeau’s resignation, with others expressing support.

While Casey has not seen the document himself, he noted growing unrest within the caucus. "There are a lot of people who have concerns," he said, adding, "Those who have come to the same conclusion as me seem to be becoming more emboldened with the passage of time."

Other MPs have also expressed dissatisfaction with Trudeau’s leadership. In June, New Brunswick MP Wayne Long called for Trudeau to step aside, and Ken McDonald, an MP from Newfoundland and Labrador, has pushed for a leadership review.

Unlike Long and McDonald, however, Casey said he intends to run in the next federal election regardless of Trudeau’s status as leader, citing his determination to prevent Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre from becoming prime minister.

“I have an obligation to the people of Charlottetown to keep Pierre Poilievre out of the prime minister's chair in any way, shape or form," Casey stated. "I'm gearing for the fight. It's a fight worth fighting, regardless of whether or not we have Justin Trudeau leading the party."

Casey said he directly conveyed his thoughts to Trudeau during a private phone call in July, acknowledging the prime minister's achievements over the past nine years but stressing the need for change. "The things he's put in place have been truly transformational. But the electorate are no longer listening to him," Casey recalled telling Trudeau.

Former cabinet minister Catherine McKenna has also voiced support for new leadership within the party.

Recent polling data from the CBC’s Poll Tracker shows the Liberals trailing the Conservatives by around 20 percentage points.

Casey believes that a leadership change could help revitalize the party, despite the risks involved. "If Justin Trudeau was to leave, there would be risk. If there was a divisive leadership, there would be risk," he said. "But the upside of having a new leader is significantly higher than if he stays."