With his party’s and the nation’s support waning, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation.
Now, in addition to the strain of an impending election, the Liberal Party must pick a new leader in the face of threats from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to levy high taxes on Canadian exports.
On Monday, Trudeau said he would continue to serve as prime minister until a new leader of the party is selected. His choice follows a major setback last month when one of his strongest and most loyal allies, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, resigned from the Cabinet.
The 53-year-old son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau has become increasingly unpopular due to factors such as increased immigration and rising housing and food prices.
It is improbable that a new Canadian leader will be selected prior to Trump’s January 20 inauguration.
The timing of this political upheaval is crucial. Trump has referred to Canada as the “51st state” and threatened to levy 25% tariffs on all Canadian exports until the government stops what he says is an influx of drugs and migrants into the United States. Despite these claims, considerably fewer migrants enter the U.S. from Canada than from Mexico, which Trump has also threatened with tariffs.
Additionally, Trump fixates on the U.S.-Canada trade gap, falsely accusing it of being a subsidy. Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador to Washington, claims that last year’s trade gap between the United States and Canada was $75 billion. She clarified, however, that trade deficits frequently coincide with high oil prices and that energy-related exports account for one-third of Canadian exports to the United States.
A trade war is imminent if Trump imposes tariffs. Canada has promised to strike back.
In a statement released on Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden commended Trudeau and thanked the Canadian leader for their collaboration.
“He has strengthened the U.S.-Canada alliance. He has made the citizens of Canada and the United States safer. And because of him, the world is a better place,” Biden stated.
“I will be forever grateful for his partnership and leadership.” Biden also called Trudeau a personal friend.
Before Parliament reconvenes on March 24, the Liberal Party needs to choose a new leader. To force an election, the three opposition parties have vowed to overthrow the Liberal government as soon as possible through a no-confidence vote.
A spring election, however, would probably benefit the opposition Conservative Party, making it challenging for the new Liberal leader to secure victory.
There are a number of contenders for the Liberal Party leadership:
As Canada enters a new era of political leadership, the upcoming months will be crucial.
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Source : apnews