Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson talks to reporter Christopher Nardi about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement Monday that he will be stepping down as prime minister and what will happen next.
Trudeau announced his resignation at his Rideau Cottage home, sparking questions about what a Liberal leadership contest would look like. Opposition parties are promising to trigger an election at the earliest opportunity.
Trudeau said Governor General Mary Simon granted his request to prorogue Parliament until March 24, which will put the House of Commons on hold until the Liberals find a leader to steer the party into the next federal election.
The prime minister said he has already asked Liberal Party President Sachit Mehra to begin the process of replacing him as party leader in time for the next election, and said he is “excited to see the process unfold in the months ahead.” Mehra will meet with party officials this week to decide details, include the date the leadership vote will happen and membership deadlines.
Those details will be important, because the rules will determine who can run for Liberal leader and who can vote in the election.
Liberals aren’t short on potential contenders for Trudeau’s job, with former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney and former finance minister Chrystia Freeland
National Post
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