The news of Justin Trudeau’s resignation as Canada’s prime minister swiftly rippled through his home riding of Papineau in Montreal on Monday, where he has served as the local member of Parliament since 2008.
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Despite announcing that he will step down as PM and as Liberal party leader, Trudeau did not say whether he will step down as MP for Papineau.
A Liberal stronghold under Trudeau, the riding was secured by the outgoing prime minister with a commanding 12,000-vote margin in the 2021 federal election. But as pressure has mounted in Ottawa over the past year, so too has the discontent from some Papineau residents, with cost-of-living concerns fresh on the minds of many.
‘It’s about time’
For some, Trudeau’s resignation felt long overdue.
“This morning already? Wow, wow,” said barber Rashid Ali, upon hearing the news in the middle of giving a haircut.
“Yeah, that’s the right decision,” he reflected.
Despite Trudeau garnering significant support in his first term, support has begun to wane in Papineau, even as far back as his 2021 re-election, Ali said. He pointed to costs of living and immigration challenges as central grievances in the community.
Local Charles Normandin echoed the sentiment.
“It’s about time. We’re due for a change, though unfortunately we’re going to end up with a Conservative government, which is not my wish.”
Normandin criticized the Liberals’ handling of affordability issues.
“Rents have gone up, so officially this neighbourhood is worth more. But the same people are living here — they just have to pay more,” he said. “The neighbourhood is worth more, but the people living here actually got poorer.”
A self-described New Democratic Party voter, Normandin expressed frustration with what he called the Liberals’ prioritization of corporate interests over ordinary Canadians. He said the Liberals need to stop listening to big business and start listening to people, explaining that the reality on the ground is different from on Parliament Hill.
A divisive departure
Not everyone agreed that Trudeau’s resignation was timely.
“It’s not a good idea for Mr. Trudeau to resign,” said Ashraf Hossain, who works in a local tech shop. “He’s a talented guy. He’s a good prime minister. It’s a bad time right now. We have to keep patient and give him a chance to make our country better.”
For immigrants like Alex Brantuo, owner of Marché d’Afrique on Jean-Talon St., Trudeau’s policies have had a personal impact.
“I feel it was because of his policies that we got the chance to come to Canada,” he said.
Brantuo said Trudeau improved the local community. He even met the outgoing prime minister a little more than a year ago when Trudeau visited his shop.
However, Brantuo acknowledged the appetite for change.
“You know, Canadians want him out, and the choice of the people has to be respected.”
He added: “We have problems with housing, health care, education, lots of social problems, and as a leader, he could have done better to improve the living conditions of Canadians.”
Linda Rosser, who lived in Papineau for over 40 years before recently relocating, said ultimately she is indifferent to Trudeau leaving.
“He wasn’t the greatest prime minister ever,” she said bluntly.
However, she is worried his resignation could hand the Conservatives the next government.
Rosser, who supported Trudeau in 2015 but shifted to the NDP in recent years, also cited rising housing and food costs as primary concerns.
Potential successors like Mark Carney offer a glimmer of hope, she said.
Others, however, were worried about opposition leaders, including NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, effectively stepping into the role of prime minister.
For Brantuo, the path for whether the Liberals will secure his vote is clear: “If we have a new leader who promises to, you know, make things better? Yes, I will vote for a Liberal.”