Liberals unhappy with Trudeau ‘have no other choice,’ says former BQ leader – National
Former leader of the Bloc Québécois Gilles Duceppe think the writing is on the wall for the federal government Liberals — this is why no one is clamoring for the replacement of the embattled Prime Minister. Justin Trudeau before the next elections.
In an interview with Mercedes Stephenson broadcast Sunday on The West BlockDuceppe said he has heard from Quebec Liberals unhappy with Trudeau’s leadership and the party’s electoral prospects. But with no one waiting in the wings to chart a new course, there is little that can be done.
“They are not happy, but they have no other choice,” he said.
“The problem is that no one is ready to replace Trudeau or wants to replace Trudeau because they know he is going to lose. So it’s not very interesting to race when you know you’re going to suffer a very severe defeat.
Trudeau and the Liberals spent more than a year in a double-digit deficit against Pierre Poilievre and his Conservative party, but Trudeau has repeatedly insisted he will lead the Liberals in the next federal election.
A number of Liberal MPs have signed an internal document calling on Trudeau to step down, which is expected to be raised at the next caucus meeting on Wednesday. Last week, four more ministers told Trudeau they would not run in the election, adding to a growing ministerial exodus and other MP resignations this year.
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The Liberals also lost two key by-elections in the Toronto and Montreal regions in recent weeks that they had held for years. This last riding, LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, was narrowly won by the Bloc, whose fortunes seem to be on the rise.
Duceppe said that while the Conservatives ate into Liberal votes in Quebec, Poilievre is also not well-liked in the province, allowing the Bloc to rise to power.
“People don’t like that kind of style (of Poilievre’s, where) it’s slogan after slogan without, I would say, any concrete measures to offer to people,” he said.
“So the sharing of votes works in favor of the Bloc since French-speakers support the Bloc.”
This state of electoral play in Quebec means that a number of high-profile Liberal MPs who could potentially succeed Trudeau find themselves in a tough race for re-election.
One of these names thrown around, that of the Minister of Innovation and Science François-Philippe Champagne, is currently projected to be in a dead end with the Bloc in his riding of Saint-Maurice—Champlain — which includes the town of Shawinigan, birthplace of former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.
“Imagine, he would lose Shawinigan if he led the Liberal Party,” Duceppe said. “This could be a second act from Kim Campbell.”
Duceppe would not say whether the Bloc’s popularity signifies renewed support for Quebec sovereignty, but noted that it could become a bigger issue if the Parti Québécois performs well or even wins in the next provincial election scheduled for 2026.
“There are still two years left, and two years in politics is a long time,” he said.
The Bloc, for its part, is taking advantage of the situation.
Although the next federal election is scheduled to take place by October 2025, the minority government could be ousted at any time after the NDP withdrew from the supply and confidence agreement this summer.
So far, the Liberals have survived two confidence motions. Yet Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet said his party would not support the government after the end of the month unless it gains support for its legislative priorities, including improving benefits to elderly people and supply management.
Duceppe said Blanchet should “keep running like he’s doing and be honest with people” while pursuing concrete policies in Ottawa.
As for Trudeau, Duceppe said he could survive the current revolt in his caucus – but not the one that could be brewing among Canadian voters.
“I don’t see (the Liberals) winning the next election,” he said. “No way.”
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