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It was one of the worst weeks of his political career, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was ringing in the season.
At the Liberal Party’s annual holiday gathering, Trudeau put on his party face, despite being blindsided the day before by the snap resignation of one of his most trusted allies, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, just hours before she was due to deliver an economic statement in Parliament.
But even as some members of his own party were calling on him to leave, the prime minister struck a resolute, defiant tone as he addressed the party faithful in his dark blue suit and tie.
He alluded to his “difficult” week, comparing it to a family fight.
He discussed being “audacious” and “ambitious” in the face of adversity, and made pointed digs at his political rival, Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the opposition Conservative Party of Canada.
Pundits remarked afterwards that it sounded a lot like a campaign speech, and that despite the latest political turmoil, Trudeau appears to be digging in.
That stance did not change on Friday, even after the leader of the country’s progressive New Democrat Party (NDP) Jagmeet Singh said he would introduce a motion to topple Trudeau’s government in the new year. It was the support of the NDP that had kept the Liberals in power. An election now appears imminent.
Yet Trudeau has so far given no indication that he will resign soon, though he reportedly told fellow party members that he would take time over the winter holiday to think about what to do.
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When Trudeau first ran for prime minister, three words followed him around: Just not ready.
That phrase was the tagline of an attack ad played repeatedly throughout the country as he tried to unseat the incumbent Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a Conservative who had been in power since 2004.
It conveyed common criticisms he faced at the time about his young age, his relative lack of experience and his winding path to politics.
But not long after entering politics, Trudeau adopted a fighting stance.
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While Trudeau has weathered many storms, there are signs that his time may be up.
For one, history is not on his side. Only one Canadian prime minister, Sir John A MacDonald – the country’s first – served four consecutive terms.
Trudeau is also working against a sinking popularity. A September poll from Ipsos suggested around two-thirds of Canadians disapprove of him. Just 26% of respondents said Trudeau was their top pick for prime minister, putting him 19 points behind Conservative leader Poilievre.
And then there’s the slowly dwindling support within Trudeau’s own party. So far, at least 18 Liberal MPs have called for their leader to step down.
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Trudeau’s stubborn perseverance in the face of a dismal political forecast has drawn comparisons to outgoing US President Joe Biden, who abandoned his candidacy months before the November election only after mounting internal pressure.
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