After over nine years in office, Justin Trudeau's time as Prime Minister of Canada is coming to an end.
On Monday, Jan. 6 Trudeau officially announced he would be stepping down as leader of the Liberal Party once a successor has been chosen. This news comes after weeks of declining poll numbers, pressure from US President-elect Donald Trump and ultimately mutiny and discord within his own party made his position untenable.
Voted in to replace former Conservative Party Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2015 with the slogan 'It's Time for a Change' Trudeau's tenure began with hope and optimism and ended in widespread disillusionment and discontent. The very forces that once elevated him to power had turned against him. While Trudeau has survived a dozen-odd scandals and three elections, it seems he couldn't even convince himself that he would survive this one.
Here in the South Cariboo, this news will most likely be met with the general sentiment of 'it's about time.' Long before his star began to dim out east Trudeau's policies and very name has made him a reviled figure.
Yet while Trudeau is succumbing to the global anti-incumbency sentiment that swept through most of 2024's elections, his party will remain in power for at least the first few months of 2025. With parliament furloughed until March 24, there will be no chance for the Conservatives or NDP to force a snap election until at least the Spring.
The Liberals doubtlessly hope this breathing room will give them time to select a new more competent leader to defend their grip on power. Canadians will be returning to the polls in 2025 no matter what and if the Liberals want to maintain government they'll need to come up with a plan that addresses the issues facing Canadians.
Rising cost of living. Housing unavailability. An overburdened healthcare system. Wage stagnation.
While Trudeau may no longer be in charge, his ousting will not magically solve these issues. Whoever ends up replacing him after our next election be it an unknown Liberal successor, the Conservatives' Pierre Poilievre or the NDP's Jagmeet Singh will be responsible for fixing them. After all, with Ottawa's favourite punching bag now gone, this election will need to be about substantial policies, not flashy rhetoric that sounds good but accomplishes very little.
We've had enough of that for nine years.
