Justin Trudeau resigns: How will it impact B.C.? And other questions

Here's what to know about Trudeau's resignation and how it might impact B.C.

Published Jan 06, 2025  •  5 minute read

Here's what to know about Trudeau's resignation and how it might impact B.C. Photo by Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced he will resign as soon as the Liberal party elects his replacement as party leader.

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“Over the holidays, I’ve also had a chance to reflect, and have had long talks with my family about our future,” he said Monday. “Throughout the course of my career, any success I have personally achieved has been because of their support and with their encouragement.

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“So last night, over dinner, I told my kids about the decision that I’m sharing with you today.”

Here’s what to know about Trudeau’s resignation and how it might or might not impact B.C.

Why is Trudeau resigning?

Questions about Trudeau’s future have swirled for more than a year but took on new levels in December after Chrystia Freeland’s sudden resignation as minister of finance and deputy prime minister rocked the government and the party.

The Liberals have trailed badly behind the Conservatives in the polls for more than a year and, in September, the NDP ended the supply-and-confidence agreement that was propping up the Liberal government.

Over the holiday, Trudeau took time to reflect on his future as there were growing calls from his caucus to step down.

So what happens next? What does proroguing Parliament mean?

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon has agreed with Trudeau’s request to prorogue Parliament until March 24.

Proroguing Parliament means the current session is ended and some business will be suspended without dissolving Parliament. All members of Parliament will be released from their duties until Parliament is summoned again.

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Any unfinished business is also dropped, all committees lose power to transact business, and any bills that have not received royal assent are terminated and will need to be reintroduced from scratch in the new session.

So who will replace Trudeau as leader of the Liberals?

Trudeau has asked the Liberal party president, Sachit Mehra, to immediately launch a leadership race.

“I intend to resign as party leader as prime minister, after the party selects its next leader through a robust, nationwide, competitive process,” Trudeau said on Monday.

“This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I’m having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election.”

The process to choose a new leader typically takes a few months and includes a leadership convention, though with proroguement only lasting until March 24, it’s unclear what the process will look like in a short timeframe.

Among the names being tossed around as potential replacements are Freeland, Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, and former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.

Is anyone from B.C. a contender?

Former B.C. premier Christy Clark publicly stated her interest in leading the federal Liberal party last year.

Following Trudeau’s resignation on Monday, she posted messages in English and French on social media, thanking Trudeau for his leadership. She has reportedly been brushing up her French.

“I look forward to joining tens of thousands of Canadians to choose our next leader,” she wrote. “This is the biggest opportunity in over a decade that we’ve had to grow our party and welcome new Liberals — including Canadians concerned about the future of our country.”

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Clark, who was leader of the B.C. Liberal party and premier from 2011 to 2017, is a long shot to lead the federal Liberals but “may have a ghost of a chance because she represents such a dramatic change,” said UBC political scientist Stewart Prest.

Typically the party would go with someone more well-established, such as Freeland or Carney, but given Trudeau’s deep unpopularity and the country’s “anti-incumbent mood,” Clark is well-positioned as a candidate.

“If there’s a path available for Clark, it would be to present herself as a relative outsider for the party, but part of the liberal movement more broadly,” said Prest. “Someone who would take the party and respond to that ‘out-of-touchness’ and put it in touch with what she would characterize as the grassroots.”

Does Trudeau’s resignation affect B.C.?

Aside from the fact that what happens to Canada happens to B.C., Prest said it’ll be interesting to see if some Canadian premiers would step forward to take on more a leadership role during the interregnum, when the Canadian government is effectively in caretaker mode.

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“(Trudeau) is staying on as prime minister but he’s encumbered and limited on his ability to speak for the country,” said Prest, who speculated whether some premiers, such as B.C.’s David Eby or Ontario’s Doug Ford, would “become more visible at this point speaking for the country on the international scene at a pivotal time for U.S.-Canada relations.”

U.S president-elect Donald Trump has threatened a blanket tariff on Canadian goods imported into the U.S. and has repeatedly referred to Canada as “the 51st state,” making the dig once again following Trudeau’s resignation.

“Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State,” he wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Ford fired back, making a counterproposal to buy Alaska and Minnesota.

What are people saying about Trudeau’s resignation?

B.C. Premier David Eby, leader of the B.C. NDP: “While we didn’t always agree, I want to thank Justin Trudeau for serving as Prime Minister during some very difficult times our country has faced. British Columbians have benefited from several initiatives started under Justin Trudeau, including the federal government’s decision to partner with BC on lowering the cost of childcare. Today, we face new challenges and serious threats. Regardless of who is the next Prime Minister, we must come together as Canadians to protect workers and businesses against devastating tariffs.”

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B.C. Conservative Leadr John Rustad, leader of the Opposition: “Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation and the prorogation of Parliament mark a pivotal moment for British Columbia and all Canadians. It’s clear that Canadians are rejecting divisive, ideological leadership and are demanding a return to common-sense government — one that puts the priorities of everyday people ahead of out-of-touch policies.”

NDP Leader Jagmeet Sing, who is a Burnaby MP: “Justin Trudeau’s Liberals let down Canadians. They let you down on home prices. They let you down on health care. They let you down by allowing corporate greed to run wild. Even with the country facing another serious blow to Canadian jobs and our cost of living — this time from Donald Trump — they’re still focused only on themselves and their political fate.”

How did Trudeau get here?

It’s been a long, winding journey but click here for a timeline of how Trudeau ended up here.

With files from Canadian Press.

Any questions you’d like to see answered? Send us an email at [email protected].

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