Minister says he doesn't 'expect' Trudeau to step down as MPs confront PM at caucus meeting

Immigration Minister Marc Miller stated on Wednesday that he does not expect Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down, even as at least 24 Liberal MPs are now calling for his resignation as party leader.

After leaving the ongoing Liberal caucus meeting early, Miller told reporters that some frustrated MPs directly expressed their concerns to Trudeau.

Miller, a close friend of Trudeau, acknowledged tensions within the caucus but defended those who voiced their grievances. “I respect the hell out of my colleagues who were brave and stood up and said things to [Trudeau's] face," he said, adding, “This isn’t a code red situation. The prime minister can sure as hell handle the truth.”

Despite internal discontent, Trudeau has repeatedly stated he intends to lead the party into the next election. When asked if Trudeau should reconsider his plans, Miller responded, "He's quite clear about his intentions, and I don't expect those to change."

Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, known for being outspoken within the caucus, said there is still a path forward for Trudeau, provided he listens to his colleagues and makes meaningful changes. “The prime minister has to listen to the frustrations and, in some cases, very valid frustrations of caucus colleagues and incorporate that into changes moving forward,” Erskine-Smith said.

He also criticized the party's limited advertising efforts, noting that while the Conservatives have spent millions on TV, radio, and online ads, the Liberals have only spent a few hundred thousand dollars. “The decision to effectively stop advertising has been a problem,” he added.

While Erskine-Smith expressed hope that the caucus would end internal conflicts, he acknowledged that discussions about Trudeau’s leadership were likely to continue. "I think we’re likely to have a few more conversations," he said. "My colleagues need to turn the knives outwards, not inwards, and focus on what really matters—getting things done in Parliament and taking on Pierre Poilievre, who is a disaster for this country."

Some MPs have called for Trudeau to step down amid concerns about the party’s plummeting poll numbers. The CBC Poll Tracker shows the Conservatives leading the Liberals by 19 points, which could result in significant losses for Liberal MPs in the next election.

This anxiety has prompted secret meetings among some MPs, who have signed a document urging Trudeau to resign. Sources told Radio-Canada that 24 MPs have signed the letter, with three of them—Ken McDonald, Sean Casey, and Wayne Long—publicly confirming their participation.

Though critical of Trudeau, the three MPs stated they are not ready to leave the party and sit as Independents. Casey also voiced his support for a secret vote to determine Trudeau’s leadership: “I wish there was a mechanism for it, yes.”

The internal rebellion could either cause a major shift in federal politics or fizzle out like previous attempts to challenge Trudeau. For now, the outcome remains uncertain.

The discontent is fueled by more than just poll results. The Liberals recently lost two by-elections in traditionally safe ridings in Toronto and Montreal, and a candidate in a Winnipeg-area by-election posted historically poor results for a governing party.

Further complicating matters, several cabinet ministers have announced their intention not to run in the next election, and the party's national campaign director quit in early September. Meanwhile, MP Pablo Rodriguez left to pursue the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party.

Despite the turmoil, Trudeau still has support from some cabinet members. Miller dismissed the efforts to oust Trudeau as “garbage” and urged the party to focus on countering Poilievre. “Any minute spent on this garbage is a minute not spent on Pierre Poilievre, and I think that is very dangerous,” Miller said.

Housing Minister Sean Fraser also defended Trudeau, saying the focus should be on the opposition. “We are up against somebody who campaigns on denying access to free birth control and refuses to get security clearance to investigate his own caucus’s involvement in foreign interference,” Fraser said.

Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson predicted that the rebellion would not succeed. "At the end of the day, we will have a robust debate and move forward with support for the prime minister," he said.

Meanwhile, some Liberal members and former staffers have launched a petition calling for a "confidence vote" to allow MPs and the party’s executive to decide on Trudeau's leadership. The petition, part of an initiative called "Project Code Red," urges the party to hold a leadership race if Trudeau fails to secure sufficient support.

“This is not an assault on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,” said Andrew Perez, a spokesperson for the initiative. “It is a wake-up call for Liberals."

Longtime Liberal MP Judy Sgro, however, expressed her continued support for Trudeau. “There’s no one more committed to Canadians and Liberal values than Justin Trudeau,” she said. When asked if she would feature Trudeau’s image on her campaign signs, Sgro laughed and said that decision would be up to her campaign team.

Sgro, who has served in the party since the 1990s, dismissed the internal strife, saying, “It’s not the first time.”