Justin Trudeau resignation: From Jagmeet's U-turn to FM's exit, key moments

Trudeau, elected in 2015 after a decade of Conservative rule, was praised for reviving Canada's liberal identity but lost support recently amid surging living costs and concerns over immigration

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that he is stepping down after nearly a decade in power, citing mounting discontent over his leadership and internal upheaval within his government, highlighted by the sudden resignation of his finance minister. Trudeau stated that he would prorogue Parliament, initiate a Liberal Party leadership contest, and resign after a new leader is selected.

 

Trudeau acknowledged that he could no longer "be the leader during the next elections due to internal battles". However, he intends to remain as Prime Minister until the Liberal Party elects his successor.

 

"I don't easily back down faced with a fight, especially a very important one for our party and the country. But I do this job because the interests of Canadians and the well-being of democracy is something that I hold dear," said Trudeau, appearing emotional as he addressed reporters outside his official residence. 

 

 

He announced that the Canadian Parliament, originally set to reconvene on January 27, would be suspended until March 24.

 

Canada's three primary opposition parties have indicated their intention to bring down the Liberal government through a no-confidence motion once Parliament resumes, making a spring election following the selection of a new Liberal leader highly likely.

 

Trudeau, who assumed office in 2015 after a decade of Conservative Party governance, was initially celebrated for steering the country back towards its liberal roots. However, the 53-year-old son of a former Canadian prime minister has seen his popularity plummet in recent years due to rising living costs, including food and housing, and increased immigration levels. 

 

How did it reach this point? Here are the eight key events that illustrate what led the prime minister to shift from his certainty about leading the Liberals into the next election to announcing his resignation on Monday.

 

The eight pivotal moments that ultimately compelled Trudeau to step down:

 

1) June 2024: Liberals Lose Longtime Stronghold in Toronto–St Paul’s By-election

 

Although the Liberals had seen declining poll numbers since 2022, they still secured some by-election wins—such as Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount in June 2023 and Mississauga–Lakeshore in December 2022.

 

However, the Toronto–St Paul’s by-election in June 2024 dealt a significant blow. Once considered one of the safest Liberal seats, held by the party since 1993, it was lost in a shocking upset to the Conservatives on June 24. The defeat, described by Canadian media reports as a wake-up call for the party, highlighted concerns that under Trudeau's leadership, no Liberal seat could be considered secure. 

 

2) July 2024: Liberal Caucus Revolt Following By-election Defeat

 

Following the shocking loss in Toronto–St Paul’s, discontent within the Liberal caucus grew rapidly. Just three days after the by-election results, New Brunswick Liberal MP Wayne Long sent a letter to his colleagues, calling for Trudeau’s resignation.

 

The Ontario Liberal caucus, heavily dependent on urban Toronto support, was particularly shaken, according to Canadian media reports. To regain control, Trudeau convened a caucus meeting in Sudbury, Ontario, where he reportedly bought himself more time by assuring members that the party would bounce back. In September, he appointed former Bank of Canada governor—and rumoured leadership contender—Mark Carney as his special economic adviser, a move described by media reports as a sign of his willingness to adapt to shifting political realities. 

 

3) September 2024: NDP Ends Support Deal, Weakening Liberal Minority Government

 

As the Liberals braced for another crucial by-election in Quebec, the New Democratic Party (NDP) shocked the prime minister by announcing on September 4 that it was ending its more than two-year-old supply and confidence agreement. The deal was meant to help the minority Liberal government stay in power until June 2025, with NDP support in exchange for policy commitments.

 

In a sudden move, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh scrapped the agreement, declaring: "The fact is the Liberals are too weak, too selfish and too beholden to corporate interests to fight for people. They can't change things, they can't restore hope, they can't stop the Conservatives." 

 

Although Singh continued to support the Liberals in some confidence votes afterward, the termination of the agreement left Trudeau vulnerable in Parliament, with no guarantee of survival in future key votes. Singh has also faced accusations of being a Khalistani sympathiser. 

 

4) September 2024: Shocking By-election Loss in Liberal Stronghold LaSalle–Émard–Verdun

 

Despite internal turmoil, the Liberals reportedly remained optimistic about retaining their long-held seat in the LaSalle–Émard–Verdun by-election on September 16—a Quebec riding once represented by former prime minister Paul Martin.

 

However, the Liberals faced a major setback due to an underperforming candidate, the resurgence of the Parti Québécois, which strengthened the Bloc Québécois, and Trudeau's declining popularity. In a closely contested race, the Bloc Québécois emerged victorious—a result that Canadian media reports indicated put Quebec, the Liberals' last provincial stronghold, firmly in play. 

 

5) October 2024: Cabinet Exodus Signals Deeper Leadership Crisis

 

On October 17, four senior cabinet ministers announced they would not seek re-election in the next federal election. The ministers included National Revenue Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, Sports Minister Carla Qualtrough, Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario Minister Filomena Tassi, and Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal.

 

They joined two other cabinet ministers, Pablo Rodriguez and Seamus O’Regan, who had already stepped down from their roles after confirming they would not run again.

 

6) October 2024: Liberal MPs Urge Trudeau to Step Down

 

On October 24, a letter signed by two dozen Liberal MPs was reportedly presented to PM Trudeau, calling for his resignation.

 

The MPs were backbenchers, and no cabinet minister publicly backed their demand. Trudeau responded by reaffirming that he would not step down. 

 

7) December 2024: Freeland’s Departure Deepens the Crisis

 

Reportedly aiming to bolster his popularity, PM Trudeau adopted a populist strategy in November by announcing a two-month Goods and Services Tax (GST) holiday starting mid-December, alongside a 250-Canadian-Dollar cheque for 18 million Canadians who had earned employment income the previous year.

 

Then-Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland publicly defended the costly initiative, despite polls showing that voters saw it as a vote-buying tactic. Behind the scenes, however, her relationship with Trudeau reportedly soured over the plan. Reports indicated that Trudeau had decided to dismiss Freeland and offer her a non-ministerial role focused on US-Canada relations in anticipation of Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency.

 

Trudeau is said to have informed Freeland of his decision just days before she was due to present the fall economic statement. On the morning she was scheduled to deliver the statement, Freeland resigned, submitting a scathing letter outlining her loss of confidence in Trudeau.

 

Her resignation sparked widespread dissent within the Liberal Party. What began as quiet discontent quickly escalated into a chorus of calls for Trudeau to resign. Canadian media reports described the incident as the breaking point for many within the party.

 

8) End of 2024: Poll Points to Electoral Disaster

 

Trudeau still reportedly had no plans to step down, insisting he could defeat Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre in a general election, according to Canadian media reports.

 

However, in the final days of 2024, the Angus Reid Institute released a poll showing the Liberals' support had plummeted to just 16 per cent, while the Conservatives surged to 45 per cent. Only 16 per cent of respondents believed Trudeau should remain in power, while nearly half wanted him to resign immediately.

 

Canadian media reports indicated that the poll numbers suggested potential disaster for the Liberals, warning that they could lose so many seats in the next election that they might fall below the 12-seat threshold required for official party status in the House of Commons.