Liberal caucus retreat begins. What will MPs have to say to Trudeau?

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may be preparing for a challenging reception from his caucus as Liberal MPs gather in Nanaimo, B.C., today to strategize for the upcoming election year.

This will mark the first time Trudeau faces the caucus as a whole since MPs left Ottawa for the summer.

Following a painful byelection loss earlier this year, the caucus has also been hit by the resignation of their national campaign director, and the party can no longer rely on the NDP to avoid an early election.

"They should be giving the prime minister a tough time," said strategist Ginny Roth, who was director of communications for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's leadership campaign. However, she doubts that will happen, saying, "This is a caucus meeting some members demanded earlier this summer… and he basically told them to wait, and now they’ve just accepted it."

The governing Liberals have faced political challenges since last summer, and despite efforts to focus on key issues like housing and affordability, polls have not improved in their favor.

Calls for a change in leadership gained momentum this summer, particularly after the Conservatives took a longtime Liberal stronghold in Toronto St. Paul’s during a byelection.

Trudeau has remained firm in his decision to lead the party into the next election, resisting calls to convene his caucus over the summer to address their concerns about the party’s prospects.

While the prime minister has had one-on-one conversations with Liberal MPs and attended several regional meetings before the Nanaimo retreat, some Liberal MPs, who prefer to stay anonymous, say the meetings have been positive. However, Trudeau has largely stuck to his message of "delivering for Canadians."

Many in the caucus hope to hear more concrete plans on how he intends to regain voter support when he addresses the group this week.

Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, often mentioned as a potential leadership contender, is also expected to address the caucus. However, Carney’s role will be as an advisor on economic growth and policy.

The three-day retreat will also include breakout sessions for the Indigenous, rural, and women’s caucuses.